Why the timing is perfect for Android on PCs (but it might still fail)

Finally, Google’s project to merge ChromeOS and Android into a next-gen PC platform has a name (or at least a codename) — Aluminium OS. I’m cautiously excited about the prospects of my favourite mobile OS on bigger screens, though we won’t see it in consumers’ hands until sometime in 2026, and there’s still a lot we don’t know.

Building a great modern laptop OS isn’t easy. Google will need to get the UI right, ensure excellent driver and peripheral support, make software easy to find and install (including tools outside its ecosystem), and work with reliable hardware partners. That’s a lengthy checklist — and we won’t know how well it’s been met until products hit the shelves.

But we do know a little bit about what the company has in mind for its next PC project — Google describes Aluminium OS as “built with artificial intelligence at the core.” Specifically, Google plans to bring its Gemini models, assistant capabilities, Android apps, and developer community into the PC domain. We’ve seen how well many Android apps work in a desktop environment, so many of the foundations are well underway, even if results vary with some apps.

If you like what Google has been doing with its latest Pixel smartphones, it sounds like you’ll be a fan of what’s in store for Aluminium OS. But the laptop market is already a well-established space; is there really any hope that Android for PCs can stand out? I think the timing is about as good as it’s ever going to get for Google to try to break out of its ChromeOS niche and into mainstream computing. Here’s why.

Regardless of how you feel about the seemingly unstoppable AI hype train, this is the way the wind is currently blowing. But so far, no one has nailed the formula in a way that’s super compelling for the PC market. Apple Intelligence is slowly replicating Google’s earlier AI feature set with new tools like “visual intelligence,” but it’s undoubtedly not racing to be an AI-first OS.

Microsoft’s Windows is in the midst of a more meaningful transition to an “agentic OS” platform, combining chatbots with context-aware assistance and file integration. From my experience with Snapdragon X and Copilot PCs, the benefits are still underwhelming — yes, even with Recall reinstated. The latest and upcoming Windows 11 updates intend to offer even deeper integration, but that’s a longer-term project, putting it on a path roughly parallel to Aluminium OS, where Google’s AI lead could give it a leg up over the world’s most popular laptop operating systems.

For starters, Google has already quickly integrated Gemini into Google Workspace, improving competitiveness with Microsoft 365 for home and some enterprise customers. Google has plenty of other Android AI features already lined up and ready to go, which could quickly find a home in the laptop space; Photos’ Magic Editor, Live Transcriptions for video calls, and Pixel Recorder-style audio summarization would be very competitive with, if not better than, what’s already found in the PC space. Furthermore, Gemini Nano works offline, giving Aluminium OS laptops the potential added advantage of having some of its better AI features available offline as well.

Even without knowing what Aluminium OS will look like, the sheer range of Android apps — alongside Google’s software suite, AI tools, and potentially Linux support — could make it an appealing option for home and educational laptops. Linux apps are already installable on ChromeOS and via the Linux Terminal for Android, but the setup could use further polish. However, it’ll have a far tougher time convincing enterprise customers to abandon Windows or creative industries to leap over to Mac, so I’m certainly not expecting anything close to an overnight switch.

If Aluminium OS goes beyond the basics, such as introducing phone-to-PC synchronization features akin to Apple’s Handoff or deeper cross-device continuity — shared clipboard, synced notifications, or seamless app handoff — then Google might be onto something much bigger. But that’s purely speculative; we’ve seen no plans for either of these wishlist features.

Hardware matters too, of course, and Arm-based laptops have gained traction in recent years for their potent combination of performance and energy efficiency. Apple’s M-series chips perhaps occupy the lion’s share of consumer consciousness, but Snapdragon X laptops offer similar benefits for Windows users. Google has partnered with Qualcomm on this joint project to bring Android to PCs, leveraging Snapdragon’s connectivity smarts and the benefits of an Arm-based architecture for improved battery life.

All of this hinges on the right price. Google appears to plan multiple tiers — “AL Entry,” “AL Mass Premium,” and “AL Premium” — covering laptops, tablets, mini-PCs, and more. If it can get a range of products out the door quickly, it’ll have a much better chance of appealing to mainstream consumers.

The bottom line is that I see a small window of opportunity for someone to shake up the laptop market a bit. Apple made progress with its shift away from Intel, but it lacks the AI leadership to push the envelope in a completely different direction. Microsoft has tried a similar approach but hasn’t quite nailed the software side of things either. Perhaps Google and Aluminium will be able to do just enough differently, and hopefully better than the competition, to squeeze through the narrow window to challenge the big two. I’m certainly not convinced the execution will be flawless (when are first-gen products ever that great). Still, I can certainly see the potential, and the timing is probably as good as it will ever be to break the laptop duopoly.

The counterargument here is that very few of us really care that much about AI, and that might make Aluminium OS a hard sell if that’s all it has going for it. While we’ll occasionally dabble in lighthearted edits and email spruce-ups, many are rightly far more sceptical about letting these tools screenshot desktops or pry into our DMs. Even fewer of us are willing to pay for the privilege of using AI, a significant challenge for anyone trying to base a product line on it — especially a brand-new venture entering competitive territory.

The fact of the matter is that AI hype primarily circulates around the same individuals and institutions in the upper echelons of the tech industry. General consumers are undoubtedly aware of it (how can they possibly avoid it these days), but convincing anyone to rip up the tools and platforms they’re familiar with will take more than repeating the same two-letter buzzword. What people really care about are price, ease of use, and brands they trust. Still, Microsoft executive Mustafa Suleyman has publicly expressed surprise that some view AI as underwhelming, and Google may be blinded by its own hype as well.

Many of us are content living outside the AI bubble and will probably continue doing so unless something undeniably game-changing comes along. On the other hand, enthusiasts (the very people who are likely to be Aluminium’s early adopters) are increasingly exasperated as Windows crams Copilot into every conceivable nook and cranny. Plenty share a similar sentiment about Google’s recent Gemini infestation in its cloud products. Understandably, power users don’t want pointless features that get in the way of the task at hand; they want tools that feel like real progress, and AI has probably scored more misses than hits in that regard.

Another round of promises about an “agentic” AI OS is likely to spark more eye rolls than excitement. Aluminium OS’s biggest challenge will be to convince us it’s not just another spin of the AI roulette wheel. It has to stand on its own as a capable, reliable laptop OS, with meaningful innovations that actually improve the way we work. Delivering that won’t be easy — but if Google gets it right, the payoff could be real.