This is what I am going to miss about Chrome OS as soon as it turns into Android

I by no means thought the day would come, however Chrome OS has an expiration date. It’s not proper across the nook — it’ll in all probability take a few years, however in the future, all Chromebooks will run Android over Chrome OS in order that Google can higher compete with Apple.

Whereas I can perceive why Google streamlining its working methods might be a great factor in the long term, shedding Chrome OS will include some rising, or slightly, shrinking pains. It can pressure Google to decide on between Android and Chrome OS for the way forward for a number of helpful options, and I’m nervous that a few of my favorites will disappear. Right here’s what I believe I’ll miss when Chrome OS turns into Android.

Proper now, common updates are one in every of my favourite causes to advocate Chromebooks. You don’t often have to fret about what number of years of assist your gentle, quick laptop computer is promised as a result of it should get a brand-new model of Chrome OS each 4 weeks. Are the frequent updates all the time main ones? No, after all not, however the regularity retains the Chrome OS staff on prime of most safety points which may pop up from one month to the following.

Google can do that throughout its whole fleet of Chromebooks as a result of all of them run the identical base model of Chrome OS. There’s no One UI or Whats up UX in Chromebooks — only one fundamental platform that begins up rapidly and runs effectively. Now, Chrome OS even helps Gemini throughout each inexpensive Chromebooks and premium Chromebook Plus fashions, which is greater than the inconsistent AI rollout on Android units can say.

The issue with Google shifting from Chrome OS to Android is that, nicely, Android updates don’t work in fairly the identical approach. Somewhat than pushing one replace to each system, every OEM has to take the time to optimize Google’s newest product to work with its personal Android pores and skin. That optimization delays the replace schedule, typically to the purpose the place a cellphone will fall behind by a model or two. And, when that occurs, it nearly by no means actually catches up.

So, if Google ditches Chrome OS for Android, one thing has to provide. Manufacturers like Samsung will both must get sooner at their updates in the event that they wish to provide one unified taste of Android, or they’ll have to stay with a near-stock platform that lets Google do a lot of the heavy lifting. I’d favor the latter — I nonetheless desire a Chromebook that feels extra like a laptop computer, however I gained’t be shocked if the slower, extra particular Android replace schedule wins out.

I don’t need Android’s strategy to cell shopping to win out, both. Chrome for telephones feels extremely left behind in comparison with Google’s desktop product. Because it stands, Chrome on Android is a reasonably simple affair — freed from muddle but missing a number of the creature comforts you get on the desktop. You’ll be able to’t have a number of profiles, change your theme past gentle and darkish, and, most significantly, you possibly can’t use Chrome extensions on cell. If Google places those self same limitations on a Chromebook, it simply gained’t be ok.

After all, I don’t care about altering my Chrome theme to something aside from darkish mode on my Pixel 9 Professional, however that’s not the primary difficulty. If the purpose of ditching Chrome OS for Android is to higher compete with the iPad, then Google must embrace what Apple does. Proper now, the cell model of Safari has no drawback adopting a number of choose browser extensions throughout iPadOS and iOS, giving it a severe leg up by way of flexibility. They’re not fairly to the extent of desktop-grade extensions (there simply aren’t sufficient), however I’ll take a number of extensions over no extensions. Fortunately, Google appears to be testing extensions on Chrome for Android.

Google may additionally be taught from a number of of Apple’s different tips. Safari’s new Distraction Management works like a built-in advert blocker, knocking out static components like banner advertisements and sign-up packing containers, whereas its Privateness Report makes browser safety digestible. These minor tweaks make Safari extra fulfilling, whereas Chrome principally appears content material to cowl the fundamentals from in the future to the following.

After which, we’ve got file administration. Like every little thing else, there’s an enormous distinction between organizing your information on an Android cellphone and on a Chromebook. See, one is supposed to be executed with a mouse and keyboard, whereas the opposite depends on you tapping and swiping your approach by your information. I favor the previous, because it’s only a bit too simple to faucet whenever you meant to swipe, or vice versa.

When you haven’t seen, I’m slightly frightened that Google will strive operating its gentle, quick laptops on the identical touch-based software program higher fitted to telephones and tablets. It’ll oversimplify the duties that typically work greatest with a mouse and keyboard, all within the identify of competing with Apple. Typically, that could be advantageous, like once I’m losing time on YouTube or taking part in a sport that originated on Android, however different occasions, a simplified interface will make it more durable to trace down particular information.

Proper now, organizing information on a Chromebook feels prefer it ought to — it’s very desktop-coded. Every little thing lives inside a folder such as you’d discover on a Home windows or Mac laptop computer, and you’ll rapidly kind by every little thing from title to file sort for straightforward entry. Once you discover what you want, you possibly can then pin it to your Chromebook’s taskbar, maintaining it only a faucet away. Wish to try this on an Android cellphone? There’s no area for extra icons on the backside of your show.

That is, nevertheless, one place the place the tablet-based model of Android would possibly maintain the important thing transferring ahead. Whereas I don’t like trying to find information on a cellphone, I don’t thoughts it a lot on the elevated actual property of a pill. It’s simpler to see what I would like, and I can open two folders directly if I’ve narrowed down the situation of what I need.

If something, I believe Google’s path ahead is combining its a number of file managers into one total expertise. I might love to have the ability to open one app, search by every little thing from my Google Drive to my Google Photographs, then shut it and name it a day. Proper now, my Lenovo Chromebook Duet has separate apps for every little thing, and Recordsdata solely covers most of what I would like.

Whereas I think about that Google already has concepts for dealing with every little thing I’ve talked about above, it’s the opposite, smaller options of Chrome OS that I’m frightened gained’t make the minimize. Drawing apps like Canvas and Cursive — one for artwork, the opposite for journaling — would possibly get merged into one regardless of their totally different strengths, or they may find yourself within the Google graveyard like so many earlier than them.

Shifting to an Android-first mentality would possibly spell doom for Chromebook avid gamers, too. I imply, Google already killed off its Stadia gaming platform earlier than the Chromebook Plus lineup had an opportunity to make it nice, so why count on it to provide direct-download Steam video games an opportunity? In addition to, only some of the higher Chromebook Plus fashions are presently highly effective sufficient to obtain and run Steam titles, so Google may axe that assist earlier than it makes it out of beta testing.

However who is aware of? Possibly Google has already found out learn how to stability Chrome OS’s strengths with Android’s. Possibly having one working system that runs in two very alternative ways will work out excellent, however I’d take the thought with a grain — or in all probability a shaker — of salt. Fortunately, we nonetheless have a while earlier than Google replaces Chrome OS with Android, and I intend to get pleasure from my laptop-centric software program in its present state for so long as I can.