Google Chrome's senior product manager Anders Sandholm has told TechRadar that despite the rise of the tablet, the forthcoming Chrome OS is still very much focused on netbooks and not touchscreen devices.
Although the prospect of a thin cloud-focused touchscreen Google Chrome OS device may appear attractive, the internet giant is still very much focused on devices with keyboards.
"What we are focusing on is netbooks in terms of form-factor and providing a really good experience for that," said Sandholm.
Experiments
"Chrome OS is, of course, an open source project and there are different experiments in things like touch and other form-factors, so we are looking into that but there's nothing new to announce there."
Chrome OS is still on track to launch at the end of 2010, with the first devices likely to appear next year, possibly at CES 2011.
Sandholm told TechRadar that the team is working hard on making sure that everything is ready for the launch.
"The team is hard at work and ready to come up with the best possible end user experience," he added
"We want more than anything for Chrome OS to be a good experience. Installing the Chrome browser is easy, it's easy to use, fast and secure and we built those things into it.
"So, with Chrome OS, we want it to be easy to use, fast and, in terms of security, more secure in the [processes] that an operating system deals with."
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bradavon
September 10th 2010
4. @ grafight: That's how I understand it too. Chrome OS is Google's Windows and Android is their Windows Phone. Chrome OS is a Desktop OS (even though the form factor will be on Netbooks) and Android a Smartphone OS.
Netbooks are now struggling due to the much higher price they now charge for one. This is in large part due to the cost of Windows 7. Something Chrome OS doesn't have.
I see Chrome OS and Android appearing on tablets though because both are free, so manufacturers will bend them to fit. Android will likely work much better though.
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grafight
September 8th 2010
3. @smokemonster; that's a really good idea, as I don't fully understand the difference myself.
My current understanding (and this could be wrong) is that Chrome OS is almost like a dumb terminal as it exclusively runs web apps, I assume that means that it can't do anything without a network connection, so maybe not a great option for UK commuters! Android appears to be more of an iOS clone, i.e. designed for touchscreen and apps, video, music and other content is downloaded to and installed on the device (rather than remaining in the cloud as appears the case with Chrome OS) and can therefore be used when the device does not have a network connection.
This gets more confusing as next year we could see slate devices (iPad clones) from different manufacturers with both Google OS' installed.
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techclicker
September 8th 2010
2. In my mind, you've highlighted the main reason ChromeOS will likely fail to takeoff. Netbooks are a declining form factor. Tablets are the future.
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smokemonster
September 8th 2010
1. @techradar; any chance you could do a comparison of Android and Chrome OS? I've read a bit about both and have an Android phone, but I still don't quite "get" what chrome is about, especially when Google's Android seems to be everywhere!
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