Now that Android – since version 13 – ships with the Android Virtualisation Framework, Google can start doing interesting things with it. It turns out the first interesting thing Google wants do with it is run Chrome OS inside of it.
Even though AVF was initially designed around running small workloads in a highly stripped-down build of Android loaded in an isolated virtual machine, there’s technically no reason it can’t be used to run other operating systems. As a matter of fact, this was demonstrated already when developer Danny Lin got Windows 11 running on an Android phone back in 2022. Google itself never officially provided support for running anything other than its custom build of Android called “microdroid” in AVF, but that’s no longer the case. The company has started to offer official support for running Chromium OS, the open-source version of Chrome OS, on Android phones through AVF, and it has even been privately demoing this to other companies.
At a privately held event, Google recently demonstrated a special build of Chromium OS — code-named “ferrochrome” — running in a virtual machine on a Pixel 8. However, Chromium OS wasn’t shown running on the phone’s screen itself. Rather, it was projected to an external display, which is possible because Google recently enabled display output on its Pixel 8 series. Time will tell if Google is thinking of positioning Chrome OS as a platform for its desktop mode ambitions and Samsung DeX rival.
↫ Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority
It seems that Google is in the phase of exploring if there are any OEMs interested in allowing users to plug their Android phone into an external display and input devices and run Chrome OS on it. This sounds like an interesting approach to the longstanding dream of convergence – one device for all your computing needs – but at the same time, it feels quite convoluted to have your Android device emulate an entire Chrome OS installation.
What a damning condemnation of Android as a platform that despite years of trying, Google just can’t seem to make Android and its applications work in a desktop form factor. I’ve tried to shoehorn Android into a desktop workflow, and it’s quite hard, despite third parties having made some interesting tools to help you along. It really seems Android just does not want to be anywhere else but on a mobile touch display.
I’ve wanted this since the Motorola lapdock, or really since the Nokia 710/810 series running mameo. It shows up again from time to time, but I’ll never, ever pay for a dock unless I think it will have a useful five year lifetime, regardless of the phone I have. Something like a USB c interface would be great. But also the keyboard can’t suck, the screen can’t suck, etc etc. It has to be something of quality, but low cost enough such that it makes sense to buy instead of a midrange laptop. Its a tough balance, and a non existent market.
Bill Shooter of Bul,
I agree and have basically the same dilemma. Some products are cool but then I lack the confidence of knowing that it would have a long lifespan without vendor locking future purchases. This just isn’t the case and unfortunately so many companies these days are pulling out all stops in finding ways to control us.and get us locked into their ecosystem indefinitely 🙁 For those of us who’ve had bad experiences, this is such a huge turn off that it puts us off buying products even if we want them.
Android doesn’t have a real tablet ecosystem to build on, for a lot of reasons. One is simply the lack of any decent hardware (aside from maybe some foldables, which are usually nerfed in various ways to to heat constraints). But really it’s the software side. The SDK for Android is weak compared to iOS in general, relying mostly on cross platform tools as a primary surface for app development. I mean on mobile. On tablet, multiply that reality times 10 or so – Apple is simply lightyears ahead of Android when it comes to useful APIs. On top of that, Apple has produced a LOT of useful first-party apps, and Google/Samsung/etc. has not bothered – and their coming AI suite is going to have nothing remotely similar for probably years. Microsoft has exactly the same problem on their Windows convertibles. It would take years to get Android or Windows anywhere close to their only competitor in iPadOS.
Chrome OS is just Chrome, with some desktop like features – it’s nothing special. If anything, this looks like an attempt to consolidate some of their OS work, and probably will lead to layoffs if it works. That’s my guess anyway.
“Virtualisation” framework? Come on, I’m sure that spelled that right.