Ryan Haines / Android Authority
A Google executive confirmed in an interview that the company is combining Chrome OS and Android. This comes a while after we exclusively reported that Chrome OS will effectively be absorbed into Android. It also comes after Google said it would develop Chrome OS on “large portions of the Android stack.”
This all sounds very interesting on paper, but I have some reservations about such a merger. Here are the things Google can’t afford to screw up when it combines Chrome OS and Android.
What do you want most from Chrome OS built atop Android? 18 votes Fast, frequent system updates 50 % Support for extensions in Chrome 6 % Minimal bloatware 28 % Multiple profiles in Chrome 6 % Relaxed requirements/fast performance 6 % Other (leave a comment) 6 %
Don’t ruin system updates
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
One of the best things about Chromebooks is that they get frequent system updates very quickly. By contrast, the vast majority of Android devices take months to get system updates. Most Android brands also offer lengthy update policies for their high-end phones, but several manufacturers still offer short pledges for their cheapest devices.
Google really can’t afford to sacrifice system updates as part of the Chrome OS/Android merger, as this is one of the key selling points of Chromebooks in the first place. I’m not saying Chromebooks are perfect in this regard, but it says a lot that even sub-$250 Chromebooks get lightning-fast updates for years.
Bring proper support for extensions
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
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