Chrome OS and Android to become one operating system
It seems that Google's future plans include merging Chrome OS and Android into a universal operating system. According to media, the IT giant aims to launch a brand new OS in 2017, but we will probably get a lot more details about it at next year's Google's I/O developer conference. While nothing is official so far, it seems that this move won't have a really big impact on Android devices, but Chromebooks will most likely go through a rebranding process. In case you were wondering, the Chrome browser will keep its name due to its high popularity levels.
For those of you who aren't very tech savvy, Chrome OS is the operating system that Google created for Chromebooks. Chromebooks are cheap, stripped-down laptops for those who don't need big-time graphics capabilities and prefer web-based services. ChromeOS is a web-centered operating system which gives the user a very easy way to access the Internet through the Chrome browser. On the other hand, Android is based on a totally different principle, being an operating system that relies on downloading and installing applications.
Since Google didn't know which approach will be better in the long run, it kept both of them going, but it seems that in the end Android prevailed as it's currently the world's most used operating system. Once the merge is completed, even more people will be using Android, which means even more money for the company. Additionally, this move will also be a gain for both users and app developers as there weren't too many third-party applications for the small user-base of ChromeOS. (However, if you really wanted to, there was a way for you to run any Android app on a Chromebook.)
Now that I think about, I realize that this merge shouldn't be such a surprise as there have been previous hints, such as the fact that the latest Chrome OS launcher was very similar to Google Now. I'll update you on this topic as soon as Google decides to make the announcement official.
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