Google is exploring options to use Chromium OS on Android devices

Published May 14, 2024

Google is exploring options to use Chromium OS on Android devices

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Google has been working to enable some capabilities of its Chromium OS platform on Android devices through virtualization. At a recent event, the company demonstrated running a special "ferrochrome" build of Chromium OS on a Pixel 8 phone using the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF). In this article, we will discuss furthermore about the latest news regarding Chromium OS on Android devices in more detail.

Chromium OS on Android Devices Overview

Enabling Chrome OS Capabilities

While Chromium OS didn't display on the Pixel 8's screen directly, it was projected onto an external display, highlighting the phone's desktop mode capabilities. This indicates Google's interest in bringing a more full-fledged desktop experience to Android devices.

Separate But Complementary Platforms

Android started on smartphones but grew to tablets, wearables, TVs, and cars. Google made Chrome OS for PCs instead of expanding Android. While Chrome OS can run Android apps, Android can't run Chrome OS fully. Google thought about combining Android and Chrome OS into "Andromeda" but decided against it because both platforms were doing well on their own.

Benefits of Separate Platforms

Rather than merging Android and Chrome OS, Google aims to continue enhancing the two operating systems complementarily. Features like seamless OS updates were borrowed from Chrome OS into Android. Meanwhile, Chrome OS gained the ability to run Android apps.

Desktop Expansion

The AVF technology demonstrated can securely run a virtualized copy of Chrome OS in parallel with Android on the same hardware. A developer even showcased running a virtualized instance of Windows 11 on an Android phone using AVF. While retaining Android and Chrome OS as separate platforms optimized for their primary use cases, such virtualization could enable Android device owners to take advantage of desktop OS capabilities when needed.

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Chromium OS on Android Devices: Conclusion

While users express preferences for Chrome OS on Android for desktop mode, Google has yet to confirm plans for shipping. Nonetheless, the integration of Chrome OS with Android smartphones holds promise for seamless computing experiences in the future.