News: 0179519138

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Qualcomm CEO Says He's Seen Google's Android-ChromeOS Merger, Calls It 'Incredible' (theverge.com)

(Wednesday September 24, 2025 @05:30PM (msmash) from the hype-machine dept.)


Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told attendees at yesterday's Snapdragon Summit opening keynote that he has seen Google's merged Android-ChromeOS platform for PCs. Speaking alongside Google's head of platforms and devices Rick Osterloh, Amon said the software " [1]delivers on the vision of convergence of mobile and PC " and that he "can't wait to have one."

Osterloh confirmed Google is building a common technical foundation for PCs and desktop computing systems that combines Android and ChromeOS. The platform will include Gemini, the full Android AI stack, all Google applications and the Android developer community. "I've seen it, it is incredible," replied Amon excitedly. "It delivers on the vision of convergence of mobile and PC. I can't wait to have one."



[1] https://www.theverge.com/news/784381/qualcomm-ceo-seen-googles-android-pc-merger-incredible



Obvious marketing is (well, should be) obvious (Score:4, Interesting)

by Pierre Pants ( 6554598 )

The big boss man, who was president of Motorola Mobility, vice president of Product and Design at Skype, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of First Republic Bank "can't wait to have one", because really, that's what gets this man going. Please, I want news for geeks, not propaganda for normies.

Re:Obvious marketing is (well, should be) obvious (Score:4, Interesting)

by thsths ( 31372 )

It might be relative to where they came from.

I always thought it was weird that Chromebooks have more capable hardware than mobile phones, but much less capable software. They only had the browser, and Chrome Apps, while Android has a lot more capabilities.

Chrome Apps are already sunset, so it is very clear that Android is coming to Chromebooks. And yes, it will be nice, but still short of what the hardware is capable of.

Re: (Score:3)

by unrtst ( 777550 )

> (Chromebooks) only had the browser, and Chrome Apps, while Android has a lot more capabilities.

Though I think the implementation leaves something to be desired, Android apps have been available on ChromeOS for a long time. This sounds like they're taking all the experience they've had and doing it right, hopefully.

Re: Obvious marketing is (well, should be) obvious (Score:2)

by reanjr ( 588767 )

I use Chromebook primarily. It absolutely does a lot more than you think. It's essentially a Linux machine with a really advanced bootloader that lets you browse the web.

I don't want them merged (Score:3)

by XaXXon ( 202882 )

unless mobile gets full computer capabilities.

But I get why companies want you to only be able to use your computer the way they want you to.

Probably tracks everything you do (Score:4)

by cjonslashdot ( 904508 )

They would love to extend their snooping from the phone to the laptop.

Re: (Score:2)

by RitchCraft ( 6454710 )

Probably? Definitely. FTFY

A mobile interface and a full PC interface (Score:2, Insightful)

by TheMiddleRoad ( 1153113 )

All I really want is a phone that acts like a phone until I plug it into a hub. Then it's a full desktop with multi-monitor support. I'd prefer full Windows, but I'll take Linux or Mac. This isn't rocket science, and amazing performance CPUs are now in phones.

Re: (Score:2)

by GoTeam ( 5042081 )

And all they really want is for you to purchase more products.

Re: (Score:2)

by blackomegax ( 807080 )

Considering the only products i buy are 4 year used thinkpads on ebay, if they actually released a unified OSX/iOS iphone (or if MS did a windows version etc), that would be an extra sale they wouldn't otherwise have. There is no innovation anymore.

Re: (Score:2)

by GoTeam ( 5042081 )

100% with you on that

Re: (Score:2)

by Junta ( 36770 )

If there was a possible strategy for Microsoft to get into the mobile game, this would have been it.

Their first pass failed to really optimize for mobile at all, so you had mobile devices with clunky interfaces.

Then when they finally saw that a more targeted UI for mobile was needed, they went the other way, screwing up desktop by trying to make it look like their vision of a mobile OS, all while having the phones still unable to use monitors so there wasn't really any 'synergy' between the platforms despit

Re: (Score:2)

by omnichad ( 1198475 )

> Their first pass failed to really optimize for mobile at all, so you had mobile devices with clunky interfaces.

I *think* Windows 10 for mobile probably would have been halfway good. But it's kinda hard to tell since it never made it anywhere. It's not like Windows 8 for PC was desktop optimized either. Windows 8 mobile was just a sign of how bad Windows 8 was as a whole.

Re: (Score:2)

by Junta ( 36770 )

Note that I refer to Windows Mobile, before Windows Phone 7. I consider Windows Phone 7 their first vaguely credible attempt at a mobile centric UI, and then Windows 8 the consequence of trying to throw desktop/laptop under the bus for the sake of trying to popularize their take on mobile UI. Admittedly, I was never interested in bothering to give Windows Phone 7+ a chance, but some others I knew at least made me think it was a credibly usable multi-touch UI for handhelds.

Re: A mobile interface and a full PC interface (Score:2)

by reanjr ( 588767 )

You and me both. But there have been several products like this over the years and none have been successful. While it doesn't necessarily mean the idea is bad, it does mean it's not as straightforward as people think to bring this sort of idea to market.

Re: (Score:2)

by HiThere ( 15173 )

Or possibly what it means is that the segment of people who want that capability is small. (I would have been part of that segment a decade ago, when my eyes were better. These days Txt message on the phone are too small to read.)

Re: (Score:2)

by mckwant ( 65143 )

Maybe, but that hardware was lukewarm garbage by modern standards. It's only been lately that RPi, N100 and fanless miniPCs from China have been viable for everyday use. Not "creator" stuff, just reasonably performant browser sorts of things. BT to the mouse/keyboard solves a lot, too.

Now, why we can't get "CPU in Steam Deck for portable use + docking station to enable video card and three monitors" figured, I don't know.

Re: A mobile interface and a full PC interface (Score:2)

by reanjr ( 588767 )

I can do everything I need to do day to day with a ten year old machine. The hardware hasn't been an issue for a while.

Re: (Score:2)

by mckwant ( 65143 )

Portable, maybe, if you're buying good to excellent HW, but power efficiency and fanless have come a long way over the last decade.

15 hr battery life is now common in laptops, for instance, and that's been relatively recent.

Re: (Score:2)

by TheMiddleRoad ( 1153113 )

All the ones I've read about that came to market were just a mobile OS with a terrible desktop mode.

Re: (Score:2)

by MeNeXT ( 200840 )

> I'd prefer full Windows

You lost me there. Everything that is wrong with computers is due mostly to Windows.

Re: (Score:1)

by TheMiddleRoad ( 1153113 )

For the most part, Windows just works without effort. Linux? Not so much. The last time I tried a Linux desktop was maybe a couple of years ago, and it was just bad.

Re: (Score:3)

by MeNeXT ( 200840 )

I don't know what Linux you tried, but as someone who works with multiple operating systems, I can say Windows does NOT work without any effort especially if you are migrating systems.

When you lock yourself in a Windows solution, you are right since Windows doesn't work well with others.

Re: A mobile interface and a full PC interface (Score:1)

by Venova ( 6474140 )

in a way thats probably on the way; its not a phone but ive seen rumors Apple has a $599 macbook air coming that runs on an a18pro soc from iphones; it will be interesting to see how performant it is vs an m4 and what kind of workloads it can handle (and also thermal limits)

Re: (Score:2)

by TheMiddleRoad ( 1153113 )

I'm more curious about things like mutlimonitor support.

Re: A mobile interface and a full PC interface (Score:2)

by paul_engr ( 6280294 )

You might want that, but instead we're stuck with the aborted metro gui where there's useless touch elements and flows on my desktop. I'm looking at you, swipe up to log in on the lock screen, asshole.

Chrome browser and nothing else. (Score:1)

by Fly Swatter ( 30498 )

That's the end goal here. Basically a terminal for consuming the internet that stores all of your data on the cloud, er I mean central server (please tell me the term cloud is dead).

Re: (Score:2)

by GoTeam ( 5042081 )

> please tell me the term cloud is dead

Nope, sales and marketing are lost without it.

Re: (Score:2)

by Megane ( 129182 )

And it naturally won't allow ad blocking to be installed. That's one of the main end goals.

Re: Chrome browser and nothing else. (Score:2)

by paul_engr ( 6280294 )

Stores all the data in the cloud, you dont get URLs, you cant open or inspect files or read metadata or headers on email.... AND IT'S DEPRECATED...

Thatnks, but ... (Score:2)

by PPH ( 736903 )

... I'll wait for [1]the movie [slashdot.org].

[1] https://slashdot.org/story/25/09/24/1718234/horror-films-wedding-scene-digitally-altered-for-chinese-audiences

This is great, we'll get to sell a lot of chips (Score:2)

by ebunga ( 95613 )

Because it's going to be so slow it will make every existing device instant e-waste.

Hardly unbiased (Score:3)

by brickhouse98 ( 4677765 )

"Person who stands to benefit from product says said product is amazing! More at 11."

Increase Sales Using This One Tactic (Score:2)

by TwistedGreen ( 80055 )

Just say "I've seen it, it is incredible. I can't wait to have one."

Translation: surveillance nightmare state arrives. (Score:2)

by gestalt_n_pepper ( 991155 )

All orchestrated by Google. Hope you products out there weren't expecting privacy or anonymity.

Alchemy! (Score:1)

by br1984 ( 9617674 )

This modern-day alchemy is incredible. POS stuttery ugly-AF Java crap garbage-collected platform + POS web garbage plaform = WHITE GOLD. How amazing is that!

Who cares about a CEO's opinion? (Score:2)

by JThundley ( 631154 )

Who cares about a CEO's opinion on what technology is cool or works?

Blah (Score:2)

by backslashdot ( 95548 )

Maybe I am cynical, but what could be "incredible" about it? It's an OS .. OSes have plateaued.

There are some micro-organisms that exhibit characteristics of both plants
and animals. When exposed to light they undergo photosynthesis; and when
the lights go out, they turn into animals. But then again, don't we all?