Linux Apps, Continuity and Desktop Chrome | Google's Foundation for Android Laptops
Google is making significant strides toward creating a more cohesive and powerful ecosystem for Android on laptops and PCs. The company is working on several fronts to bridge the gap between mobile and desktop experiences, from foundational software changes to new features that enhance productivity and app performance. This effort is aimed at making Android a more compelling platform for larger screens, and it has garnered attention from major players in the tech industry.
A Unified OS Vision
The conversation around Android on larger screens has been ongoing for years, with a lot of speculation about a unified operating system. Recently, Google has publicly acknowledged that their work on a new Desktop Mode for Pixel devices does confirm that this vision is becoming a reality. The beta version of this feature allows users to connect their phone to an external display and run apps in resizable, floating windows just like a traditional desktop interface. The phone itself can be used independently while connected to the external screen. While it is not yet a complete desktop environment, this development shows the direction Google is heading in. The project aims to create a "common technical foundation" for PCs and smartphones, which would allow users to use on operating system, Android, on their phone, tablet, XR glasses and now their laptops as well.
Seamless Transitions with Android Handoff
Apple has long held an advantage in the tech space due to the seamless cohesiveness of its devices. Features like AirDrop and Continuity allow users to easily switch between their iPhone, iPad, and Mac, creating a fluid and uninterrupted workflow. This "magic" of interconnectedness is something Google needs to capture to make the Android PC ecosystem truly competitive.
While several companies have tried to make the connection between Android and Windows more useful, we’ve never really gotten anywhere near what Apple has. Microsoft’s Phone Link is something I’ve talked about a lot and we do have some interesting things like screen sharing, messaging and even some ability to Resume From Your Phone, it’s nowhere near a complete system. Hell, even the the Android to Chrome OS connection hasn’t gotten all the way there.
That being said, Android Handoff appears to be a great first step in this direction for Android to Android. This in-development feature will apparently allow users to seamlessly transfer the state of an app from one Android device to another, such as from a phone to a laptop. According to Android Authority, Handoff will work by displaying a suggestion on the target device's taskbar and with a single click, it will transfer the app's data and relaunch it on the new screen. This will be a significant productivity booster, eliminating the need to manually close and reopen apps when switching between devices.
Not only that, but Notifications should be syncing too. Will this mean no more unlocking that tablet you use twice a week to be bombarded by notifications you already addressed on another device? I sure hope so. There’s also mention of File and Media sharing as well. I would assume this will be using services we already use like Drive and Photos.
Bringing True Desktop Apps to Android PCs
One of the biggest challenges for Android on larger screens has been the lack of true desktop-class applications. Relying on Android developers to upgrade their apps can be a crapshoot and third party Virtual Machines leave a bit to be desired. While they provided a way for power users to access Linux command-line tools and a limited number of graphical apps, their performance was often sluggish and they lacked official support.
Google is now changing this by building official Linux support directly into Android, starting with a native Linux Terminal app that runs a Debian virtual machine. This makes it possible to run a full Linux userland directly on the device, opening the door for powerful software not available on the Play Store. The main hurdle for these graphical applications has been performance, as all rendering was handled by the CPU, which is both slow and power-inefficient. Google is now addressing this with a new feature that enables GPU-accelerated rendering in the Linux Terminal app, which will offload graphical processing and allow for near-native performance for desktop applications.
A Desktop-Grade Chrome Browser
In addition to these foundational changes, Google is also working on a more familiar experience for users with a desktop-like version of Chrome for Android. This will provide users with the full-featured browser they are accustomed to, complete with extensions, on their Android laptops, rather than the mobile-first version. This is another crucial step in making the Android PC ecosystem feel more complete and capable for productivity and web-based tasks.
Google has not yet announced a timeline for when we can expect these Android laptops and PCs to be widely available. However, the progress on multiple fronts—from the development of a native desktop mode and seamless Handoff capabilities to the foundational work of improving Linux app performance with GPU rendering—shows a company that is taking the right steps. It is clear that Google is building a strong foundation, not just for a new category of devices, but for a truly integrated and powerful Android ecosystem on large screens.