Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Google reaches for the stars with rumored do-it-all laptop running new "Andromeda" OS

Julian Chokkattu
By

Google Pixel C
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
Android and Chrome OS may merge, thanks to rumors reignited by Android Police. We may see the merged OS, codenamed Andromeda, on a tablet-laptop hybrid from Google coming in 2017.

What has fueled rumors about Andromeda is the existence of a product, internally codenamed Bison, and nicknamed “Pixel 3.” Android Police cites two independent sources that say the laptop will be the result of collaborations between the Pixel, Android, and Chrome OS teams. We have reached out to Google for comment.

Recommended Videos

Bison isn’t expected to replace Chromebooks, and it’s unclear whether Chrome OS or Chromebooks are going away entirely. We can’t confirm this information, so take it all with a grain of salt.

Related

Rumored specs

Bison will see Chrome OS merging with Android, and the codename for that OS is Andromeda. The laptop will be thinner than the MacBook Air at 10mm, and it will feature a 12.3-inch display. There will be a tablet mode, but it’s unclear whether the laptop will fold over the keyboard like the Lenovo Yoga series, or will be a separate attachment like the Microsoft Surface.

The backlit keyboard will house a “glass trackpad” that has similar force detection to the MacBook.

It will be powered by Intel’s Core M3 or i5 processor, and will feature 32 or 128GB of internal storage. It will come packed with 8 or 16GB of RAM. The choice of specifications suggests there will be at least two models.

The Bison will also have a fingerprint scanner, two USB Type-C ports, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, various sensors, support for a stylus, stereo speakers, quad microphones, and a battery that reportedly lasts 10 hours, according to Android Police.

This isn’t like the Pixel C tablet, which didn’t really have a competitive market. Google is really gunning for Microsoft and Apple here with the Bison. By launch, the search giant wants the Andromeda-powered laptop to run a host of enterprise, developer, and “stylus-driven” apps.

Rumored price and release date

Bison’s starting price is expected to be $800, which puts it in competitive range of other tablet and laptop hybrids. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 starts at $900 with a Core M3 processor.

You’re going to have to wait a while to hold Bison in your hands, though as Android Police says, the device will launch in the third quarter of 2017, or sometime between April and June 2017.

We’re expecting to see Pixel-branded smartphones, Chromecast Ultra, Daydream VR, Google Home, and Wi-Fi routers at Google’s October 4 event. Android Police suggests we also may get a sneak peek of Andromeda, and we won’t have to wait long to find out.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Julian Chokkattu
Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Why I converted my Windows laptop into a Chromebook, and why you should too
Chrome OS Flex on a ASUS laptop.

You've probably not heard of ChromeOS Flex. It's Google's program for turning crusty computers into Chromebooks -- which sounds like a neat idea as a concept. But it's primarily been marketed toward businesses and classrooms.

I wanted to give it a shot, though. I have an older Windows laptop that was dying to be converted into a fresh, snappy Chromebook. As someone who's been primarily using Chromebooks for almost half a decade, I was ready to take on the challenge to see if ChromeOS Flex might be a serviceable way to bring old laptops back to life. Despite some limitations in the end product, it's a pretty intuitive way to breathe some fresh air into an otherwise unused laptop.
Chrome OS Flex is all Chrome, all the time

Read more
Google’s Android monopoly finds its biggest challenge, and Apple might be next
Apps screen on the Google Pixel 7.

The Competition Commission of India slapped Google with two hefty fines over anti-competitive strategies that have allowed it to dominate the mobile ecosystem in India. Totaling over $250 million, the penalties reprimand Google for forcing smartphone makers to avoid Android forks, prefer Google’s web search service, and pre-install popular cash cows like YouTube on phones.

Google was also disciplined for forcing its own billing system on developers that allowed the giant to take up to a 30% share of all in-app purchases for applications listed on the app store. Google is not really a stranger to titanic penalties; The EU handed Google a record-breaking fine of approximately $5 billion in 2018 for abusing its dominant market position — a penalty that was upheld in September this year following Google’s appeal.

Read more
Google Chrome is getting the Android tablet update you’ve been waiting for
Google Chrome app on s8 screen.

Google today announced the release of its redesign for the Chrome app on Android tablets. After long being neglected on the big screen, especially in comparison to Apple's or Samsung's browsers, Google says it'll be rebuilding the browser to help you get work done faster with a tablet or other large-screened device.

These updates can be broken down into design and functionality improvements, and we'll be kicking things off with the redesign. The first change adds a new side-by-side design when using Chrome paired with another app. This comes with an auto-scroll back feature so you can swipe between tabs, hiding the close buttons when your tabs are too small to prevent mis-taps — plus the inclusion of a restore feature.

Read more