Your Chromebook may not get Google's Aluminium OS update: Check reason here

Google's Android-based operating system for PCs, likely to be named Aluminium OS, is expected to debut in 2026. A wider rollout, including enterprise and education users, is not expected until 2028

Google is reportedly planning to phase out ChromeOS by 2034, reported 9To5Google. The documents reportedly suggest that most existing Chromebooks will not be able to run the upcoming Android-based operating system, known as “Aluminium OS,” which is why Google is expected to continue supporting ChromeOS until at least 2033 to meet its ten-year update commitment for ChromeOS. While Google has previously said the Android desktop experience could arrive as early as 2026, court filings cited by The Verge indicate that this may only be an initial rollout, with a broader release likely coming later.

ChromeOS support till 2034

According to the report, documents submitted by Google in a US court indicate that Google plans to phase out ChromeOS by 2034. Google’s lawyers reportedly said this is because most existing Chromebooks are not compatible with Aluminium OS. As a result, Google must continue supporting ChromeOS until at least 2033 to meet its 10-year update commitment to current users.

 

Only after this support period ends is Google expected to fully move away from ChromeOS. This suggests the platform will remain in use mainly to honour existing commitments, rather than as part of Google’s long-term plans.

 

As reported, these details came from court documents linked to an antitrust case that at one point raised the possibility of Google being forced to sell Chrome. As part of its defence, Google argued that ChromeOS is closely tied to Chrome, and selling Chrome during this transition would have made it harder for Google to maintain ChromeOS on existing machines.

 

Google has not confirmed timelines like 2028 or 2034, but the documents reportedly suggest it will slowly move to Android PCs, keep ChromeOS supported for now, and phase it out once support commitments end.

 

Android desktop timeline

According to the report, Google plans to release Aluminium OS to “commercial trusted testers” in 2026. A wider rollout, including enterprise and education users, is not expected until 2028. This delay suggests Google wants more time to prepare the platform before it replaces ChromeOS in workplaces and schools, where Chromebooks are widely used today. 

 

In a previous report, Google’s VP of Product Management for ChromeOS, John Maletis, confirmed that not all Chromebooks will be able to upgrade to the new operating system due to hardware limitations. He also noted that ChromeOS would continue to exist for the foreseeable future.