Android and Chrome May Come Together, But Not Anytime Soon

Google is aware that its users wish for some consistency and commonality between operating systems. The Android smart phone user may also be using the PC or laptop at home and may be principally using Google Chrome for his internet activities. Google is therefore looking at ways to tighten the links between its operating systems and while a total merger may not happen quickly, it is intent on making the Android OS and Chrome OS work together more than they are currently.

Android – The Future Cash Cow

Currently, it is Sunder Pichai who is heading both the Android and Chrome businesses for Google. Google earns more than $50 billion every year from its search as well as advertising business. But Larry Page believes that the future cash cow for Google would be Android. The reasons are not far to seek. It has quickly become a widely used and preferred operating system all over the world powering close to 83% of the smart phones. Chrome on the other hand has a very minor presence in only about 2% of lightweight PCs. It has been popular in educational institutions but for Google to bring about total convergence of the two would signify a very major shift they would have to make. Google Android has been busy with rolling out new Nexus phones along with the latest Android Lollipop OS. This new OS is its biggest update due to the many changes it has introduced within the OS, as it seeks to actively reduce the fragmentation of its earlier OS versions. The Android Lollipop has been praised for its “material design’ concept, improvements in the notifications display as well as boost of battery life advantages.

Google Chrome Gets Due Attention

Amidst all these activities involving the Android Lollipop, Google has entrusted its vice president engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer the task of also overseeing the technical and engineering aspects of the Chrome OS. He was earlier responsible for Android only. This in many ways signifies the attention it wishes to provide to this OS. It is some indication that Google may want the two systems to come together so that the developers of applications for the Android OS can also present them on the Chrome OS platform and vice versa. The taking on of more responsibilities by Sunder Pichai towards products harmony is also indicative of the seriousness with which Google perceives the way forward for it. The push for commonality and ease of use of its software platforms across diverse devices is certainly an initiative that is now gathering momentum. Google has however made it quite clear that they do not have plans to bring about changes in the working of the products and there is no possibility of Android overrunning Chrome in any manner. Similar problems encountered under both the systems will be examined for possible solutions so that users get a better experience.