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Only about 15 years ago, Google introduced ChromeOS and Chromebookswhen cloud computing became mainstream. While early Chromebooks were fraught with limitations, ChromeOS’ limitations have dissipated over the years, becoming a viable low-cost alternative to what Apple and Microsoft offer. Google is now looking to shake up the laptop market once again with Google Books — but this time, it’s all about artificial intelligence.
What is Google Book? The simple answer: It’s a premium laptop running Android and Gemini, with the desktop feel and security built into ChromeOS. But trying to explain what that actually means to someone who isn’t very tech-savvy is a bit more difficult. The basic idea is that using a Googlebook shouldn’t be all that different from using a Chromebook or any other laptop, you’ll just get more built-in Gemini AI-powered tools, along with access to a whole world of Android apps.
Watch this: Googlebooks: the ultimate laptop for Android users?
Android, Gemini AI and ChromeOS in one package
While over the past couple of years Google has added a healthy dose of Gemini AI to its Chromebooks, Googlebooks are at their core. One feature Google has teased, for example, is Magic Pointer. Move your cursor over an image, and the system can display contextual AI suggestions of things you might want to do with it. In the meantime, hover your mouse over an email with event details, and this may suggest adding the information directly to your calendar.
Read more: Android 17 is smarter than ever, thanks to Gemini intelligence
But arguably the biggest advantage is that because it’s built on top of Android, features that were originally developed for phones can be brought to Googlebooks much more quickly — something that wasn’t really possible with ChromeOS. Search Circle is a good example: It took nearly a year for the feature to move from Android phones to Chromebook Plus laptops. But now, there is an artificial intelligence feature like Create your own widget – which lets you quickly create custom widgets and that’s it It was recently announced for Android phones -It will also be available on Google Books.
The “Create your own widget” feature on Googlebooks has been quickly developed from the upcoming release to Android phones.
I spoke with Alexander Kocher, senior director of laptops and tablets at Google, who described Googlebooks as “no-compromise” laptops designed for anyone with an Android phone. By building on the same foundation as Android, the experience between devices should be seamless and not patchy, he said.
“When we started with Googlebooks, we wanted to build something that was intuitive,” Kocher said. “But when you break down what intuitive means, it really means, it often starts with something familiar.” “And that’s the approach we took with Googlebooks. We took something that you’re used to — in this case, your Android phone — and you’re used to how it works, how it behaves, how they interact with you, and we took that, and we scaled it.”
Main features of Google Book.
Googlebooks arrive this fall
To be clear, there are no Googlebooks available yet; It is expected to launch this fall, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Google confirmed launch partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, while Kuscher said the laptops will come with either x86 or Arm processors from Intel, Qualcomm and MediaTek. He also said that the operating system aims to work with more than just laptops, so you can expect Googlebooks in a variety of shapes and sizes.
But the one thing they all have in common is that they will all be premium devices. Chromebooks always have an image problem. Regardless of the materials, internal components, or display quality, many people still think of Chromebooks as cheap, bulky plastic laptops that kids use for school — or simply as a browser in a box.
Unlike Chromebooks, which usually have noticeable branding on the lid, Googlebooks seem to keep things more subtle, with only a small mark down the left side of the keyboard.
Googlebooks seem designed to change that perception, by pairing a more capable operating system with premium materials and cutting-edge components. In fact, unlike Chromebooks, there doesn’t appear to be any overt Google branding on the lid at all — except for the subtle glow bar, seen in the photo at the top of this story.
“When we worked with our hardware partners on design and building devices, we wanted to make sure that the hardware and software felt like they were built in the same spirit and the same principles, and one of those principles was to provide a premium experience,” Kocher said. “It needs to have the build quality you expect from high-end products, but also stand out in terms of durability so that it will last you, and be an investment you make that you know will make you happy for a long time.”
Are Chromebooks dead now?
What does the introduction of Googlebooks mean for Chromebooks? For now, they will coexist. New Chromebooks currently have 10 years of support, and Kocher said that’s not going away. Plus, there are millions upon millions of students who use them every day, and since Googlebooks are premium devices, they’re unlikely to replace Chromebooks for education anytime soon.
I expect ChromeOS development to slow somewhat over time, with some high-end Chromebook Plus models eventually moving to the new operating system.
As for the actual name of this operating system, Google has not yet announced. But I can tell you one thing: it won’t be aluminum. This was simply the internal code name for the project, and Kocher said it was never intended to be a public-facing brand.