Google to merge Chrome OS and Android

Google is reportedly planning to merge its Chrome OS and Android operating systems. The word on the street is that Chrome OS will essentially be folded into Android, because the latter has emerged as the dominant operating system by quite a large margin. Exact details about the plan are unknown, but Google confirmed to The Verge that both Chrome OS and Android will continue to exist, thereby dispelling rumors about Chrome OS being killed.

The new operating system is expected to be released sometime in 2017. While this is a major and somewhat surprising move — Chromebooks have been fairly successful and are a great low-cost computer option — it's easy to see how Google got here. Sundar Pichai, who's now leading Google, was put in charge of both Chrome and Android two years ago, and he's made moves to bring the two operating systems closer in that time. That includes adding support for Android apps inside of Chrome OS. Though support is still limited, some Android apps are up and running on Chromebooks. Google also revealed a convertible Android laptop last month, called the Pixel C. Now, it seems like that's just an early sign of what's to come.