Over the course of 2016, Google has displayed a renewed focus on Chrome OS, highlighted by the impending addition of Android app support to the operating system. Now, there’s word that Asus is prepping a new Chromebook with a Skylake processor under the hood.
The new system has been unearthed via references to a device given the codename “Cave” in Google’s Chromium source code, according to a report from Liliputing based on findings made by Chrome Unboxed. Of course, the hardware is still in development, so there’s every chance that there will be changes made before the finished product sees release.
However, there’s ample indication that the device in question is intended to be a follow-up to the Asus Flip Chromebook. Besides confirmation of a touchscreen display, there’s evidence to suggest that the system’s tablet functionality is based on the positioning of its lid, as was the case with the original Flip.
The difference is that the “Cave” project also seems to boast a 6th-generation Intel Core Skylake processor. That should give it a major performance boost over its predecessor, which was outfitted with a much less powerful Rockchip RK3288 CPU — but that upgrade is likely to be reflected in its selling price, too.
Asus has demonstrated an increased interest in Chrome OS over the last few months. The first-generation Flip Chromebook was among the first devices that were given access to Android apps, perhaps indicating some kind of partnership between Google and Asus going forward.
There’s still no official confirmation of the successor to the Asus Flip Chromebook, much less any details about its specs, retail pricing, or an expected release date. However, given that pre-orders for the original system opened in June 2015, there’s a good chance that we’ll hear some more specifics sooner rather than later.
