What you need to know
- Google unveiled Googlebook, a new Gemini-focused laptop range based on Android and AI features.
- Google says some Chromebooks may find migration paths, but not every device will support Googlebook features.
- It’s still unclear whether future Chromebooks will stick to ChromeOS or move to Aluminum OS.
Googlebook is Google’s new line of laptops built on Android with Gemini intelligence. The platform introduces many new ideas to desktop computing, including a magic pointer with contextual AI suggestions, the ability to run Android apps natively, and seamless access to files from your Android phone.
These Googlebooks are clearly geared toward productivity users and students looking for an AI-focused laptop. But this is also the exact space that Chromebooks already occupy today, which naturally raises the question of where ChromeOS devices will fit once Googlebooks launches.
The Android Central team attended a Google briefing where we asked specifically about what will happen to Chromebooks and whether they will eventually receive Googlebook features. Google responded, saying the company “plans to offer migration options for many devices over time, but not every Chromebook will be eligible.”
Google also avoided directly confirming the operating system branding for the Googlebook. The company only said it would share more details later this year.
So at this point, Google still hasn’t clearly stated what the long-term future of Chromebooks will look like once the GoogleBook arrives. It’s worth remembering that Chromebooks launching in 2021 and beyond are promised 10 years of updates.
It’s still unclear whether those devices will continue to receive ChromeOS updates or will eventually transition to the new operating system that reportedly powers the Googlebook devices, which Currently known as Aluminum OS.
Android Central’s Tech
I really think Googlebooks makes a lot of sense. Android and Gemini feel a lot more modern than ChromeOS right now. But Google really needs to stop creating confusion on its platform. If Chromebooks are to stick, Google needs to be upfront about it. And if Googlebook is replacing them, the company should say this clearly.
