Google Chrome OS and Android 'will likely converge'

Is Chrome OS starting to rust already?
Is Chrome OS starting to rust already?

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been speaking about the future of Google's operating systems, Android and Chrome OS, and admitted that they may become one OS in the future.

Speaking backstage to CNET at last week's Chrome OS event, the Google co-founder apparently admitted that the two operating systems "will likely converge over time".

Saying something like this is more than a little strange, particularly at the unveiling of one of the products that you are saying may be obsolete in the future, but Brin was apparently pointing out the common Webkit and Linux foundation the systems use.

OS differences

This will be news to Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Also speaking to CNET recently, he said that the two operating systems were different products for different things.

"Android was designed as an open platform that would create a whole bunch of things at once," Schmidt explained.

"The Chrome OS is a different product and a different target market. Android is really targeted at people who are phone-centric.

"The Chrome OS is really targeted at the PC netbook user. That's somebody who is at a desk, who has a keyboard; they've got a reasonable screen and a good processor."

So, will we ever see Android and Chrome become one thing? And what would it be called: ChromeDroid or AndroChrome?

Knowing Google, we will only find out on day of release, and probably in comic-book form.

Via Engadget and CNET

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.