ChromeOS to merge into Android, Google exec confirms

Google has confirmed it is working on merging Android and ChromeOS into a single single operating system.

In an interview (via TechRadar), Sameer Samat, president of Android ecosystem, said, “We’re going to be combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform.” Samat oversees Android across phones, wearables, TVs, cars, and XR devices.

While Android powers phones, tablets, TVs, wearables, and soon XR devices, ChromeOS has mostly focused on laptops. But both systems have struggled in the tablet market, especially against Apple’s iPad, which continues to dominate the high-end segment.

Sources say Google doesn’t plan to build a completely new OS but rather bring ChromeOS features and workflows directly into Android. The result would be Chromebooks shipping with Android instead of ChromeOS, possibly starting with the rumored Pixel Laptop.

Google already confirmed in mid-2024 that ChromeOS would begin using “large portions of the Android stack,” including the Linux kernel and certain frameworks. The OS already borrows Android components like the Bluetooth system, so this isn’t an entirely new direction.

But behind the scenes, the company is reportedly working on new tools. These include an Android version of Chrome with extension support and a terminal for running Linux apps, aiming to close the gap between the two platforms.

There’s no official timeline yet, and it’s unclear what this means for the ChromeOS and Chromebook branding in the long run.

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