14 DAY TRIAL // Ever since Google showed off the very early Chrome OS builds late last year, things have quieted down around the upcoming operating system. In fact, all the action in that department at Google seems to be centering on Android for the moment and for good reason too, the mobile OS is writing history. That doesn’t mean that Google Chrome OS has taken the backseat, everything is on schedule and the OS is set to launch this fall.
Google’s VP in charge of Chrome and Chrome OS, Sundar Pichai, has now confirmed that the operating system will be available in late fall 2010. Present at CompuTex Taipei, Asia’s largest IT trade show, the executive talked about the upcoming operating system, though there weren’t any new announcements. In fact, even the release date is not something new, Google has always planned to launch Chrome OS in time for the 2010 holiday season and has said so ever since it unveiled the OS in late 2009.
Pinchai believes Chrome OS will be more than ready by that time and stresses the importance of a very polished release. He says that both the OS and the netbooks that will run it will provide a great experience out of the box.
Of course, a lot has changed in the few months since Chrome OS was revealed to the world. Android went from an upstart to a serious contender, already the second best selling mobile operating system on the market. It is also evolving beyond mobile phones especially with the upcoming Google TV. Interestingly, Google TV will run Android and the Chrome browser, blurring the line between the two even more.
At the same time, netbooks are not as hot as they were just a few months ago. Sales numbers have stalled and, with the launch of the iPad, the tablet is the hottest ticket in town. There are plans for tablets based on Chrome OS, but at launch there will likely be only netbooks. Manufacturers are already working on Android tablets arriving sooner than Chrome OS.