Following last week's reports that Google was planning to "fold" Chrome OS into Android, and a brief response to dispel rumours, the search giant has spoken up in detail in a blog post. The company says that it has no plans to phase out Chrome OS or Chromebook models. Google, however, says that it is working on ways "to bring together" the best of the two operating systems.
Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast reiterated in a blog post titled 'Chrome OS Is Here to Stay' that the company is committed to Chrome OS and Chromebook. "Over the last few days, there's been some confusion about the future of Chrome OS and Chromebooks based on speculation that Chrome OS will be folded into Android. While we've been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there's no plan to phase out Chrome OS," he wrote.
Lockheimer said that Chromebook computers are selling very well, and millions of users trust the machines to get their work done. Instead of folding up the lineup, the company plans to lower the retail price of Chromebook computers to make them accessible to more people. He further revealed that Google has planned "dozens of new Chromebooks" for next year. As for the improvements in Chrome OS, the company has a media player and more security updates planned for next year. A Chrome OS-powered Asus Chromebit dongle will also be launched. Moving forward, the company also plans to bring Material Design, a new design language which it first showcased in Android Lollipop, to Chrome OS. The company has been pushing it across its different product lineups.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported about Google's plan to merge the two operating systems by 2017. Re/code further corroborated that Google was planning to speak with its laptop OEM partners to put the resultant operating system into their machines. Following the reports, Lockheimer said on Twitter that the company is "very committed to Chrome OS".
What's interesting about Lockheimer's new, detailed explanation is that he hasn't denied that a convergence of sorts is on the cards. He says that the company is bringing together the best of two operating systems. Which further cements Wall Street Journal's claim that the company is indeed working to merge the two operating systems. However, the union would require the demise of Chrome OS.
Meanwhile, Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, while not specifically commenting on the reported convergence, said, "Technology can move forward where it's possible you can wrap one into the other."
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