Following older rumors that Google was looking to merge Android and Chrome OS into a new OS called Andromeda, a new report now reveals that a Pixel 3 laptop will launch next year rocking the hybrid OS.
Rumors of the hybrid Google OS called Andromeda have been making rounds for a good while now, but nothing has materialized so far, and no substantial evidence is available to back the claims.
It all started a year ago, when The Wall Street Journal shook the Android scene with the revelation that Google would "fold" Chrome OS into Android. The hybrid OS would purportedly bring Android to desktop and laptops, something that Google had been working on for a couple of years at the time.
By now, that would mean that Google has been working on Andromeda for roughly three years, and a new exclusive report from Android Police now offers more details on the matter.
The publication reports that Google will launch a Pixel 3 laptop as the launch vehicle for Andromeda sometime in the third quarter of next year. The WSJ had also pegged the release for 2017, so the new report would fall in line with the older scoop.
Android Police notes that it verified the information with two reliable, independent sources, both of which confirmed that the Andromeda-powered Pixel laptop will hit the scene in Q3 2017.
"The project, known internally as 'Bison' and by the informal nickname 'Pixel 3,' will likely be the first brand-new device to showcase Google's combined Android / Chrome OS 'Andromeda' operating system in a laptop form factor," notes Android Police. "Bison, then, would be the culmination of years of work by Google's Pixel team and Google's Android and Chrome OS teams."
Pixel 3 / Bison Specs
The report goes into further details, revealing that Bison should arrive as an ultra-thin laptop with a 12.3-inch display, which would also offer a "tablet" mode. It remains unclear for now whether that means that Bison will launch as a Lenovo Yoga-like hybrid or would just have a detachable keyboard like the Microsoft Surface Book.
Under the hood, the laptop would pack an Intel m3 or i5 processor, paired with 8 or 16 GB of RAM and 32 GB or 128 GB of storage — so likely two different models. Other rumored specs and features include two USB Type-C ports, a fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm audio jack, stylus support with a Wacom pen available separately, quad microphones, a long-lasting battery, a backlit keyboard and a glass trackpad with haptic and force detection support.
According to Android Police, Google wants to pack all of this into an ultra-thin form factor under 10 mm-thick. Considering previous Pixel models and the specifications the Pixel 3 will reportedly sport, the Andromeda-powered laptop will likely not be cheap. Nevertheless, the report notes that Google still wants to be competitive and its Bison will start at $799.
Andromeda Unveiling On Oct. 4?
Most recently, we heard that Google was testing its Andromeda hybrid OS on the HTC Nexus 9, with speculations that the company might unveil its OS on Oct. 4. That would not exactly contradict the other Andromeda reports, as Google could unveil the new OS this year, ahead of an official release on a new hardware product next year.
The announcement of the new OS could be as major as the Android unveiling was eight years ago, when it set out to change the mobile scene. With no official information, however, it's best to take all rumors and reports with a grain of salt at this point.
