Integrating mobile and desktop operating systems has remained an elusive goal for big tech companies since the early days of smartphones. Microsoft’s experiment with Windows Mobile was dead by 2010, and even though Apple’s iOS/iPadOS and macOS have been very slow to come to terms with each other over the past few years, Cupertino still hasn’t reached its fabled goal of one OS to rule them all.
But Google’s big plan to combine ChromeOS and Android into a unified PC platform (codenamed Aluminum OS) is slowly taking shape. Android-powered laptops are expected to be released in 2026, and the company wants to put LLM at the center of the user experience.
Therefore, hardware procurement decisions are likely to be aligned with a company’s AI strategy in the coming year. Chromebook-style devices and the prospect of lower prices that come with them will be appealing to both organizations looking to update their next machine and strategists looking to put AI at the center of their employees’ daily work. Maybe we’ll find a common solution soon.
Although converged device development at Google is still in its early stages, the company is well known both for floating ideas that never come to fruition and for abandoning technology that can’t be monetized effectively enough. Unlike some of the company’s projects, which may stem from its “20%” policy (Google employees are encouraged to dedicate 20% of their time to moonshot projects), Google’s policy of having a rich Android development community and putting Gemini at the forefront may accelerate the need for a new unified operating system.
Android’s existing AI features, such as Magic Editor for photos, audio transcription, and summarization, port very well to the workplace desktop. However, if Google wants to allay security experts’ fears, it may need to rely on a smaller, local model for AI processing, rather than reaching out to Gemini’s cloud instances for the necessary computing power. This calls into question one of the Chromebook series’ big selling points: its continued low price point compared to full-fledged workstations.
There’s also a delicate balance that companies need to strike. Forcing users into AI-centric workflows hasn’t worked for Microsoft. Look at the uproar surrounding Recall and the muted response to its much-reduced offspring from Copilot Labs. What Google needs are killer AI features that benefit businesses, which may or may not be aimed at users.
Despite the significant price increase earlier this year, there’s no denying that the addition of Gemini to Google Workspace has done wonders for the platform in terms of being competitive with Office 365. This was partially driven by new features like live translation in Google Meet and AI responses available in Gmail. Although users find some AI tools useful, it may become clear that user-facing AI is more of a useful addition to existing workflows than a catalyst that changes everything.
So when it comes to putting Gemini or Gemini Nano at the heart of a new operating system, Google may be trying to deliver value to different parts of the company from the everyday tasks users tackle. Android Authority suggests that smart power management, device provisioning, and context awareness when accessing corporate resources may be things to consider. However, it is unclear how transformative these factors will be for procurement teams.
Google has many issues to resolve at a deeper level, including peripheral compatibility, OS-level drivers, and changes needed to the Android GUI to provide a better experience for end users with mice and keyboards. But with enough effort and investment (of which the company has no shortage), these are problems that can be overcome relatively easily. A thriving app ecosystem ensures that even if the tools you need aren’t readily available, they are available with minimal effort.
Ultimately, the success of Aluminum OS will depend on Google’s ability to provide a platform that solves specific problems and integrates into existing workflows. Google believes that AI in the form of Gemini (or localized Gemini Nano instances) will power the platform to provide integrated problem solving. Achieving this goal will create demand and a lower price per machine could be a deciding factor for procurement teams. If Google gets it right, it could repeat the success it experienced in the education market with its original Chromebook project, leading to a significant shift of enterprise fleets to Aluminum OS and Google Workspaces.
There are significant benefits for companies that dominate the global mobile market and enter the enterprise workstation market in earnest. Moreover, the integration of that elusive device will come much closer to reality.
(Image source: Macro Monday: Aluminum Button (Al on the Periodic Table) by ccana is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.)
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