Report: Google is Testing Running ChromeOS Alongside Android on Pixel Devices

Google is reportedly testing the integration of Chrome OS on Android to provide a desktop-like experience when devices are connected to an external screen. According to Android Authority, Google recently held a private event where it demoed Chrome OS running on an external display from a virtual machine running on a Pixel 8.

The report explains that Google designed a special build of Chromium OS codenamed “ferrochrome” for this use case. This Chromium OS build was running on the Pixel 8 via the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF), a new Android feature designed to isolate workloads and operating systems from each other.

“Unfortunately, Google did not reveal at the event whether it planned to actually ship a build of Chromium or Chrome OS on any existing or future devices. The company simply demonstrated that it’s now possible to run Chrome OS alongside Android and gave smartphone makers the tools to do so,” the report says.

Connecting a phone to an external display to give users the experience of working on a desktop isn’t exactly a new idea. Samsung shipped a similar feature with DeX, which is available on recent Galaxy smartphones and tablets. You may also remember the “Continuum” feature that Microsoft offered on high-end Windows 10 Mobile devices such as the Lumia 950 and 950XL, though it was more limited.

While the report made it clear that Google didn’t commit to shipping this new Chrome OS integration on future Pixel devices, high-end Android phones today probably have more than enough power to support this virtualization scenario. Google could well decide to make this Chrome OS integration a platform feature that all manufacturers of Android phones could choose to implement or not.

However, Samsung did this before with DeX, and it isn’t exactly the killer feature that makes people purchase Galaxy phones. It’s not clear if using your phone as a PC is ever going to become a popular use case, but it’s probably something that could be nice to have if Google ever decides to standardize it.