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You can stop waiting for Andromeda, Google’s mash-up of Chrome OS, Android

Mark Coppock
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If you’ve been chomping at the bit for a new notebook that combines the benefits of Google’s Chrome OS and Android into a unified operating system, then chances are your hopes were pinned on a project code-named Andromeda. Unfortunately, it appear your waiting has been in vain.

Andromeda has been rumored for a while now to be Google’s effort to create a unified OS that would compete with Microsoft’s Windows 10 — which already runs on numerous device types — and Apple’s continued efforts to make MacOS more like iOS. According to an editor at 9to5Google, however, Andromeda has been canceled.

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Techradar picked up the rumor via Stephen Hall’s twitter account:

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So yeah, got a second source on this now: Andromeda was shelved. Some of the work being moved to other things, though. Trying to learn more.

— Stephen Hall (@hallstephenj) June 4, 2017

Google was apparently hard at work on not only Andromeda, but also hardware to run the new OS. Tablets and the notebook code-named “Bison” were two possibilities, and apparently those are making their way into the dustbin as well.

Fuchsia, a separate project that you are all aware of by now, is not dead and effectively serves as Andromeda's spritual successor.

— Stephen Hall (@hallstephenj) June 5, 2017

All isn’t lost, however, as Google does appear to be replacing Andromeda with another project, code-named “Fuchsia.” Unlike Andromeda, which was a sort of fusion of Chrome OS and Android, Fuchsia is looking more like a brand-new OS that Google is building from scratch. It’s also highly experimental and so probably isn’t going to be released anytime soon. When it does arrive, it will likely look a lot like Windows 10, powering a host of devices from smartphones to tablet to notebooks.

In the meantime, Chrome OS still awaits the widespread release of Android apps on a number of Chromebooks, providing something of a stopgap measure. Google might not be in too much of a hurry to release something new, given that Chromebook is so successful that it’s pushed Microsoft to release Windows 10 S, which is aimed at more competitive, lower-cost, and easier to manage machines. But if you really wanted a Chrome OS and Android mashup, it looks like you’re going to be disappointed.

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