Google is migrating ChromeOS to Android, which means Chromebooks will soon run Android instead of ChromeOS. Even though this change has benefits, I’m skeptical. Google does not have the best track record for managing operating systems and products. The Google Graveyard website has nearly 300 examples. I’m hopeful this will be a positive change for users of both operating systems, but I feel it may not be.

A history of OS mismanagement

Google’s track record with operating systems isn’t great

Google may have been successful with Android, but it mismanaged or abandoned other operating systems. Google’s smartwatch operating system is a great example of how poorly Google manages operating systems. Android Wear launched in March 2014 with fairly positive reviews and the caveat that the operating system seemed unfinished. Even with these slight issues, many smartwatches launched with the new operating system from various manufacturers, such as Motorola, Sony, LG, and Samsung.

As time passed and more Android Wear devices were released, reviews became increasingly sour because many initial operating system issues persisted. Google launched a rebrand for Android Wear to Wear OS in 2018 with a promised redesign and improvement because it fumbled the OS. The operating system received a new coat of paint and became a little faster. Still, many of the operating system’s issues persisted, and the number of OEMs using the platform dwindled.

Google ramps up its WearOS efforts

Google acquired Fitbit in 2021 and partnered with Samsung to merge features from the Tizen operating system into WearOS. Google used the acquired Fitbit to create its first smartwatch running WearOS, the Pixel Watch, in 2022. The Pixel Watch included a large update to WearOS that made it easier to use and less buggy. It also added modern features and navigation to the OS.

There have been a few iterations of the Pixel Watches and Samsung Galaxy Watches, but few OEMs use the platform. Google adds large updates to the platform every few years, but the novelty wears off quickly. We’re left with an operating system with many holes, some of which have been there from the beginning.

I’ve used a few Android Wear and WearOS smartwatches over the years. The operating system has improved, but it hasn’t become more compelling. It sometimes feels limited and glitchy. While Apple adds more useful features to its smartwatches, Google hasn’t added much to the platform. Its main innovations are driven by its first-party devices. It hasn’t done much to make the platform appealing to developers or other OEMs.

Source: Google

Another example that springs to mind is Google Fuchsia

While there was never an official announcement, some journalists dug through a mysterious code base on GitHub, which included references to a Google OS running on a range of devices. Many speculated this was an attempt to redo Android and make it operational on more devices. Google talked about the OS at Google I/O in 2019 as an experimental OS concept and added it to the Android Open Source Project.

Google replaced the original Nest Hub’s operating system with Google Fuchsia in 2021. It did the same for the second-generation Nest Hub in May 2023. This change was made mainly under the hood, with few user-facing changes.

Google laid off 16% of the staff working on Google Fuchsia in January 2023. We haven’t heard much about it since. It was talked about as the next generation of Android and ChromeOS, but Google seems to have relegated it to Nest Hubs.

ChromeOS also had a rocky start

Work on the OS started in the late 2000s, and it was announced as a consumer product in May 2011 at Google I/O. In the beginning, the OS was only the Google Chrome browser. Google changed the UI in 2012 to include a taskbar and a window manager to make it similar to a traditional desktop operating system. The OS became more popular as time went on. Chromebooks outsold Macbooks in 2020 as they were a good solution for many during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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As Chromebooks became more popular, Google added new features to the OS, but not at a quick cadence. Google added the ability to use Android apps through the Google Play Store on select devices in 2016, which has since expanded to all new Chromebooks. Google added numerous other features to make ChromeOS a successful operating system. The operating system was serviceable when 2020 rolled around, but it took the devices blowing up in popularity for Google to take the product seriously. Without this coincidental change, Google might have continued to drag its feet on development and stagnated the OS.

These are only a few examples. None of them paints Google in a great light. Google’s history with products and operating systems is filled with shutdowns and layoffs. ChromeOS had a bad start but is now in a good place, and I don’t want Google to mess it up.

Android will complicate ChromeOS

It takes away much of what makes ChromeOS great

I think integrating ChromeOS into Android would mainly benefit Android. While I love Android and cannot conceive of using another mobile operating system, it has issues. Android doesn’t just work and often runs into issues. I can’t count the number of bugs and glitches I’ve experienced on my Android phones, and they randomly pop up to this day. Sometimes, closing an app or turning the screen on and off fixes the issue. I had to restart the phone to get the issue to go away. Other times, I had to do deep research or factory reset the phone to fix these issues. The many bugs with their various solutions make it hard to say Android “just works.”

Additionally, because Android is complicated and has much functionality, it has more security flaws and vulnerabilities, which Google stopped paying others to find. Keeping current with updates, which may take significant time to download and install depending on your device, is imperative to stay ahead of these security issues. Support for these updates is spotty, depending on your Android device’s manufacturer. While Google and Samsung promise seven years of support for their flagship devices, other OEMs, like Motorola and Asus, have worse and inconsistent support policies.

These are two downsides of Android that oppose the benefits of using ChromeOS. ChromeOS seamlessly installs updates often and has a standard update policy across all devices. It also has little to no glitches and can be counted on to work seamlessly when you need it. This appeals to regular users, businesses, and schools. Companies and schools want their devices to work as long as possible and don’t want to spend time fixing them. If the ease of ChromeOS goes away and is replaced with a less secure, more buggy operating system, they may look elsewhere. This would kill the entire category for Google and make the integration pointless.

What is the real reason for this change?

I feel like there could be an ulterior motive

Google is often cryptic about why it makes changes to its operating systems and services, and this is another instance of that. While there hasn’t been an official announcement on this change, I feel the motivation is less about what’s better for consumers and more about Google’s business.

Google was found guilty of having a search monopoly in August 2024. Bloomberg reported in November 2024 that the US Department of Justice is considering making Google sell off Chrome as a remedy for this case. While this will take some time to work out, it’s a reality that Google must consider.

While ChromeOS is not the same as Google Chrome, it is heavily tied to it since its original iteration was the Chrome browser. If Google is forced to sell Chrome, it may complicate what it’s allowed to do in terms of Chromebooks. If Google changes the Chromebook operating system to Android and is forced to sell Chrome, it will still have control over Chromebooks’ operating system and the money it makes from them.

Businesses’ main focus is making money, and they do so to survive. However, I’m worried this change will remove what I and others love about ChromeOS. This change may improve Android on larger screens. However, it would make the devices less desirable since they would lose many advantages. This change could be akin to the Fuchsia change to Google Home Hubs, where most of the change is under the hood, but I can’t see that being the case.

Just leave well enough alone

Chromebooks work. Why complicate them?

Google shut down several operating systems and services over its lifetime, but that history has bright spots. Android and YouTube are two successful examples of Google doing things correctly. ChromeOS is another great example of something Google did right.

The main appeal of Chromebooks to me is that they just work. Other computer operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux require some knowledge of how they work to get what you need from them since they are more complex operating systems. Chromebooks are simpler and require little to no background knowledge to use them. This simplicity includes automatic updates on a regular schedule and improved security.

Due to the time it takes to update Windows or macOS, you can’t make them automatic. The updates will get in the way when you use your device. Also, due to the complexity of Windows and macOS, it is hard to make sure they’re secure and vulnerabilities often pop up. ChromeOS is more secure since it’s sandboxed. Updates are quick and easy because they happen in the background.

Other operating systems can do more and run more powerful apps, which isn’t essential for most people. Chromebooks do most things in the Google Chrome browser, which means most things are web-based. These days, 99% of what people do on a computer, at least in their personal lives, is web-based. You may need to use a spreadsheet or edit a photo, but finding a web version of most services that can do most tasks is easy. You can find an Android app for services that don’t have a web version. This won’t be the case for 100% of people, such as people who need more for their careers or are serious gamers, but I think this is the case for most people.

I still don’t want Google to mess with ChromeOS

Since technology is becoming more expensive, we often buy a more expensive device in case we need extra functionality. This is why many people disregard Chromebooks. They feel they might need more than they provide. Most people don’t need all the power or functionality of a different operating system, especially when they can get a Chromebook Plus. This is why I believe in Chromebooks and find them charming to use. They aren’t complicated. They’re simple and work. When I open my Chromebook, I know it will work, and I won’t have to wait long for an update or run into any issues.

This is why I love ChromeOS and don’t want Google to mess with it. From a business and legal perspective, I understand why this change may make sense for Google. I hope this doesn’t impact consumers. Ultimately, only time will tell. We’ll have to see how this plays out.