Google has announced a new line of laptops called Googlebooks, set to be launched this fall. The announcement came during the company’s Android Show and is part of a broader initiative aimed at succeeding Chromebooks with a more capable platform. Googlebooks will run on a new operating system, referred to in leaks as Aluminium OS, though the company has not yet revealed its official name or much detail.
Peter Du from Google’s global communications team confirmed that “Aluminium” is only a codename and further information about the operating system branding will be provided later this year. Googlebooks will utilize the Android technology stack, allowing web browsing via Chrome and the ability to run Android apps. Users will be able to access files from their Android phones directly on Googlebooks.
The laptops will integrate Gemini Intelligence into various features, including a Magic Pointer function that offers contextual suggestions based on cursor position. Examples include scheduling meetings from an email or visualizing furniture in a space by pointing at images. Googlebooks will also introduce new AI-generated widgets, similar to those for Android phones and Wear OS smartwatches.
No details about the design, specifications, or price of Googlebooks have been disclosed. Google is collaborating with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo for the initial models of Googlebooks. A distinctive feature will be a bar of glowing Google-colored light across all devices.
There remains uncertainty about the relationship between Googlebooks and existing Chromebooks. Peter Du assured that Chromebooks will continue to be produced and all models released in 2021 or later will receive automatic security updates for 10 years. However, how Google will balance focus between Googlebooks and Chromebooks remains unclear.
