In 2023 Satya Nadella famously said about the Microsoft-OpenAI partnership and ChatGPT-Bing integration, he wanted “people to know that we made [Google] dance”.
Two years later, with Google’s stock price surging, and both OpenAI and Nvidia being stressed out about Gemini 3 Pro and Google’s AI chips, tides seemingly have shifted.
Currently it looks like Google will not only make Microsoft dance in its own garden, but the whole tech industry combined.
Google’s long-rumored plan to merge its desktop and mobile ecosystems has taken a definitive shape, with a leaked job listing confirming the development of “Aluminium OS.” The new Android-based platform is explicitly designed to replace ChromeOS, marking a strategic shift for the company’s computing division.
Internal documents reveal the operating system (OS) will target “Mass Premium” hardware tiers, directly challenging high-end competitors. Unlike the browser-centric ChromeOS, Aluminium OS will be built “with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the core,” leveraging Google’s Gemini models for native, on-device processing.
Signaling the end of an era for “ChromeOS Classic,” internal bug reports now label the legacy platform with this retrospective moniker. While Google recently bolstered ChromeOS with enterprise tools like the Cameyo integration, the long-term roadmap now points clearly toward a unified, Android-first future.
Aluminium OS
A recently deleted job listing for a “Senior Product Manager” spotted by Android Authority has inadvertently confirmed the existence of “Aluminium OS” (ALOS).
Explicitly calling for building a new operating system, the role signals a departure from the cloud-first architecture of ChromeOS. “Aluminium” appears to be a nod to the project’s roots, using the British spelling and “-ium” suffix similar to the open-source Chromium project.
Google is reportedy already testing the OS on development boards featuring MediaTek Kompanio 520 and 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake processors. Hardware roadmaps are said to be ambitious, targeting three distinct tiers: “AL Entry,” “AL Mass Premium,” and “AL Premium.”
Supported form factors extend beyond traditional laptops to include detachables, tablets, and “boxes” (likely mini-PCs).
Such a tiered approach suggests a direct assault on the high-end market currently dominated by Apple and Microsoft. Launch windows align with a planned 2026 release, giving developers time to adapt to the new paradigm.
The ChromeOS Dilemma: Legacy vs. Future
Internal bug reports have begun referring to the existing platform as “ChromeOS Classic,” a clear indicator of its legacy status.
Outlined in the now deleted job listing is a strategic goal to “transit Google from ChromeOS to Aluminium,” confirming the replacement intent. Creating a clear contrast with Google’s recent enterprise messaging, this pivot challenges the stability and longevity promised for ChromeOS.
Just last week, Google launched Cameyo integration to run legacy Windows apps on ChromeOS, a move designed to lock in corporate fleets.
According to the job description, a new new Senior Product Manager role is tasked with “driving the roadmap and curating a portfolio of ChromeOS and Aluminium Operating System (ALOS) Commercial devices across all form factors (e.g. laptops, detachables, tablets, and boxes) and tiers (e.g., Chromebook, Chromebook Plus, AL Entry, AL Mass Premium, and AL Premium) that meets the needs of users and the business.”
Enterprise customers who recently migrated to ChromeOS for its security and simplicity may view this roadmap with skepticism.
Migration plans must account for millions of education devices that rely on the lightweight, browser-based nature of ChromeOS. It remains unclear if “Aluminium” will support the Linux container (Crostini) that developers on ChromeOS rely on.
Market Reality: The Premium Battlefield
Google’s push into the “Mass Premium” tier comes as the Windows on ARM ecosystem struggles to gain traction. Market share forecasts predict Windows on ARM will hold less than 13% market share through 2025, leaving a potential opening.
Rick Osterloh, SVP of Devices and Services, framed the strategy at the Snapdragon Summit, saying:
“This is another way we can leverage all of the great work we’re doing together on our AI stack, our full stack, bringing Gemini models, bringing the assistant, bringing all of our applications and developer community into the PC domain. And I think this is another way in which Android is gonna be able to serve everyone in every computing category.”
However, Android has a troubled history in the productivity market, with past failures like the Pixel C and Pixel Slate still fresh in memory. Competitors like the iPad Pro have successfully transitioned to desktop-class silicon but are held back by mobile-first software limitations.
“Aluminium” apparently aims to solve this by merging the Android app ecosystem with a true desktop windowing environment. Success will depend on whether Google can convince developers to optimize Android apps for mouse-and-keyboard inputs, a perennial challenge.
Mandating “AI at the core” suggests exclusive features powered by Gemini could be the key differentiator against Windows AI PCs.
