Google shifts ChromeOS to Android stack: What it means, advantages and more

ChromeOS based on Android stack will not only enable Google AI integration, but will also allow Android smartphones and accessories to work better with Chromebooks

Google has announced that soon its ChromeOS for Chromebooks will be more like Android OS for faster and improved Google AI features. In a blog post update on Chromium Blog, Google announced that “ChromeOS will soon be developed on large portions of the Android stack to bring Google AI, innovations, and features faster to users.”

Android stack in ChromeOS: What’s changing

Google said that Chromebook offers an opportunity to make the company’s advancement in artificial intelligence and Gemini-powered features more accessible to users. Additionally, by incorporating portions of the Android stack, which is an open-source platform architecture for Android devices, Google will be able to roll out “new Google AI features to users at a faster and even larger scale.”

Android Linux Kernel and Android Framework, that essentially forms the primary interface between an Android device and the user, have already been part of the foundation of ChromeOS. This allows Android apps to be made easily accessible and available on ChromeOS. By bringing Android-based tech stack into ChromeOS, Google said it would be able to make AI integration into ChromeOS faster and simpler. This will also allow different devices like Android phones and accessories for Android devices to work better with Chromebooks.

Android stack in ChromeOS: A move in the right direction?

Generative AI tools such as Magic Editor on Google Photos and AI generated wallpapers made their debut on the Android operating system with the Google Pixel 8-series smartphones. However, it was not until last month that these features made their way onto the Chromebooks. Had these changes in the framework of ChromeOS taken place earlier, it would not have taken Google so long to make generative AI features available on Chromebooks.

Advantages

The current platform design of the ChromeOS forces the company to build features from scratch and this dual development cycle causes delay and extra work. With the Chromebooks sharing the same Android stack as Android-powered devices, software implementation will take much less time and would even get faster updates.

Android stack in ChromeOS: Timeline

Google said that it has started the process of integrating the Android tech stack within ChromOS but the experience will take time to reach the consumer front. The company also said that it will provide a “seamless transition” for the user into the updated experience when it is ready.

Other changes in ChromeOS

Last week, Google completed the acquisition of Cameyo, a software virtualisation company that it has partnered with in 2023 to make Windows apps accessible on the ChromeOS. Google said “By bringing the Cameyo team's expertise in-house, we are doubling down on our commitment to delivering a streamlined experience for virtualised applications.”

Cameyo uses Virtual Application Delivery (VAD) technology instead of the standard virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions to allow virtual apps to run on ChromeOS without necessitating complex installation procedures or a Windows desktop emulation. This allows Windows applications to appear as progressive web apps (PWA), offering easy integration into the device’s file system.