Google has confirmed that its mobile operating system Android and its laptop-focused ChromeOS will be folded into a single platform. Sameer Samat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, said in interviews published 14-15 July that the company is “combining ChromeOS and Android,” formalising months of industry speculation. The unified system will be built on core Android technologies, with ChromeOS development migrating onto the Android stack. Google says the move is intended to boost performance, simplify software development and give users a more seamless experience across phones, tablets and laptops, while expanding the pool of compatible applications. Android 16, now in beta, already hints at the shift with a native desktop mode that supports resizable windows, multi-display output and a taskbar—features long associated with ChromeOS. Google must still address challenges such as maintaining ChromeOS’s security features and ensuring a desktop-grade user interface, and it has yet to detail how existing Chromebooks will be supported. No launch timetable was disclosed, but future Chromebooks and tablets are expected to ship on the Android-based platform. Google says the consolidation will enable tighter cross-device synchronisation and reduce duplication for developers who previously had to target two separate operating systems.