Google Essentials is Coming to the PC

Google announced that HP will be the first PC maker to bundle a new Google Essentials app on its new consumer and gaming PCs. It’s delightfully unclear what this means, but don’t expect a new push for native Windows apps from Google.

“Today, we’re introducing Google Essentials, a new app that makes it easier for you to discover and install many of our best Google services — including Google Play Games — when setting up a new PC,” Google director Ashish Pimplapure writes. “Google Essentials will be first available on all HP Windows consumer and gaming brands–Spectre, Envy, Pavilion, OMEN, Victus and HP Brand–and [will] soon be featured on all OmniBook brands. You can open Google Essentials right from the start menu and easily switch between your phone and laptop.”

Google Essentials will also provide shortcuts to Google Photos, Google Messages, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Calendar on the web. And eligible Google One subscribers will get a 2-month trial of Google One 100 GB for free.

As with other bundled software on new PCs, you can uninstall Google Essentials at any time. And Google says it will bring the app to more laptops and desktops “in the coming months.” Curious.