The project to bring Android to computers is codenamed Aluminum.

The Android operating system is famous for its versatility. In addition to smartphones, Android officially runs on tablets, watches, TVs, cars and extended reality (XR) glasses. However, Android is almost absent on traditional personal computers, where Google has bet on ChromeOS.

Green Android is coming to PCs as Aluminum OS.

Despite its efforts to compete with Windows and macOS, ChromeOS still sits in a distant third place. To close the gap, Google is merging ChromeOS and Android into a single desktop platform, codenamed 'Aluminium OS'. Here's what we've learned.

Android on PC: Journey to the Present

A year ago, Android Authority revealed Google's plans to focus on developing Android as a unified desktop operating system. Our sources said the move was aimed at creating products that could better compete with the iPad, while also making better use of development resources.

By July, a Google executive partially confirmed this information, revealing that the company planned to merge ChromeOS and Android into a single platform. Finally, at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit in September, Google officially announced that it would bring Android to the PC market.

Google said it is working with Qualcomm to build a new platform that combines the power of mobile and desktop, taking advantage of the latest advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon (left) and Google Senior Vice President of Devices & Services Rick Osterloh (right) announce a collaboration to bring Android to PCs.

While we know Google is working on Android for PCs, there are still many details that remain to be revealed. Will Google kill the ChromeOS brand? Will current Chromebooks get the new OS or will they be left behind? Will it only appear on low-cost devices, or will it target the high-end segment as well? What will the interface be like and what new features will it have?

These are big questions as Google continues to develop the platform. We probably won’t have all the answers until closer to launch, but thanks to job postings and bug reports, we’ve uncovered some early details that give us a sense of where the project is headed.

Aluminum OS: Google's PC ambitions take shape

Over the weekend, a Telegram source named Frost Core shared a link to an attractive Google job posting for the position of 'Senior Product Manager, Android, Laptop and Tablet'.

While we already knew Google was bringing Android to PCs, the job posting also specifically states that the role involves “developing a new operating system based on Android called Aluminum.” This confirms Aluminum is the codename for the new unified platform.

The name seems to be inspired by the project's origins: like Chromium (the open-source version of ChromeOS), Aluminum is also the name of a metal that ends in '-ium'. The use of the British spelling — emphasizing the 'Al' prefix — could be Google's way of honoring Android as the project's core platform.

Similar to Android XR, Google says the new Aluminum OS is “built with AI at its heart.” This suggests deep integration with Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot and large language model (LLM). At the Snapdragon Summit, Google’s Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, Rick Osterloh, shared his plans to bring the company’s AI ecosystem to PCs:

“This is another way for us to take all the AI advancements that we’re working on together, from the Gemini model, the virtual assistant, all the applications and the developer community, and bring it to the PC. I believe this is how Android will serve people across all computing segments.”

Google's product manager job posting shares the name Aluminum.

It’s not yet clear what new features Gemini will bring to Android PCs, but the OS is expected to take full advantage of the hardware. On some high-end smartphones, Gemini already offers a lot of on-device AI features, which require a lot of memory and processing power from the CPU, GPU, and NPU. There were concerns that Google would limit the new OS to the low-end segment like Chromebooks today, leaving the high-end market to Microsoft and Apple. However, the job posting has dispelled those concerns.

The new Senior Product Management role will “build the roadmap and manage the commercial device portfolio using ChromeOS and Aluminum Operating System (ALOS) across all form factors (e.g., laptops, detachables, tablets, and boxes) and all segments (e.g., Chromebook, Chromebook Plus, AL Entry, AL Mass Premium, and AL Premium) that meet consumer and enterprise needs.”

This confirms that Android won't be limited to laptops; the roadmap also includes detachables, tablets, and 'boxes' (which could be mini-PCs similar to Chromeboxes or Mac Minis). Furthermore, the tiered structure—with 'AL Mass Premium' and 'AL Premium' segments alongside 'AL Entry'—suggests that Google wants to take Android beyond low-cost PC hardware. While it's hard to predict exactly what these segments will cost, it's clear that Google is aiming for full-scale competition—a strategy that was foreshadowed by the recent Chromebook Plus initiative.

In regards to Chromebooks, the job posting also raises questions about the future of ChromeOS. The posting states that the person in this position will “develop ChromeOS and Aluminum (e.g., Android) platforms and devices,” and will build a roadmap and product portfolio that includes both. This suggests that the two platforms will coexist for a while. However, the person is also tasked with developing a strategy to “transition Google from ChromeOS to Aluminum to ensure business continuity in the future.” This confirms that Google intends to completely replace ChromeOS — a move that will need to be done carefully to avoid impacting enterprise customers. This transition will likely involve several phases:

Legacy Device Support: Existing ChromeOS devices that can't be upgraded to Aluminum OS will likely continue to receive updates until the end of their lifecycle, meaning Google will have to maintain the ChromiumOS source code for a few more years.
Optional Upgrades: Instead of forcing the switch immediately, Google could offer an optional upgrade path for eligible devices. The company is currently testing Aluminum OS on development boards using the MediaTek Kompanio 520 and Intel 12th-gen Alder Lake chips, so Chromebooks with these processors may be eligible for the update. However, switching the OS on an existing device is a major technical challenge that requires careful planning.

Is ChromoOS really “dead”?

Even if Google were to completely switch from ChromeOS to Android, the company may not want to abandon the name. While it doesn’t have as large a market share as Windows or macOS, the ChromeOS brand is still very familiar, especially in the education and enterprise sectors. While the job posting hasn’t confirmed the final name, bug reports discovered by Frost Core suggest Google may keep the brand. Engineers have called the current platform “ChromeOS Classic” and “ChromeOS Not Aluminum,” suggesting that the new Android-based version could take over the “ChromeOS” moniker.

Another possibility is that Google will use the name “Android Desktop” to align with Android branding. However, “Android Desktop” may just be an internal name for this type of device. Since these references only appear in bug reports, the final commercial name remains unclear.

When will Android on PC come out?

Google is actively developing the platform, with bug reports confirming the company is testing new builds of Android 16 on development hardware. Google has confirmed the project will launch in 2026, though it's unclear whether that will be in the first or second half of the year. Given this roadmap, it's likely the first public release will be based on Android 17, which is expected next year. We'll continue to monitor the project for more updates before it goes live.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/du-an-dua-android-len-may-tinh-co-ten-ma-la-aluminum-post2149071698.html