MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan 30, 2026, 01:40 (PST)
Google’s vice president of ChromeOS, John Maletis, said not all existing Chromebooks will be able to move to the company’s new Android-based software “stack” — the underlying code base — codenamed “Aluminium,” citing hardware limits. Maletis said Google is working on a migration path for “a lot of the newer devices” and will allow upgrades “where possible,” but the company is not ready to publish a list of supported models. (Chrome Unboxed)
The comments matter because ChromeOS buyers are trained to think in long update windows, not annual hardware refreshes. Schools and businesses that buy fleets want to know whether the next big update lands on devices already in service, or only on new machines.
That question got louder after an accidental leak from Google’s own bug-tracking system gave the clearest public look yet at what a desktop-style Android build might resemble. A now-restricted Chromium Issue Tracker report included screen recordings showing split-screen multitasking, the Play Store, and Chrome being updated through the app store while still open — a different approach from ChromeOS’s traditional update cycle. (Android Authority)
Tom’s Hardware said the recordings appear to show an HP Elite Dragonfly 13.5-inch Chromebook running a build labeled “ALOS,” with a taller taskbar and a top status bar carrying familiar Android-style icons. The footage also shows a Chrome interface that looks closer to Android’s large-screen version but includes an extensions icon. (Tom’s Hardware)
For now, support timelines still hinge on a device’s Auto Update Expiration, or AUE — the date when it stops receiving automatic updates. Google says Chromebooks receive 10 years of automatic updates from the platform release date, and it publishes update schedules to help users and IT teams track remaining support. (Pomoc Google)
The leak has also sharpened worries about what gets lost in the handover. Android Authority columnist Rita El Khoury said the early interface looked more like Android’s existing desktop mode than a full ChromeOS replacement and flagged gaps that could matter on laptops, including whether the browser is effectively “mobile Chrome” and whether ChromeOS features such as screen capture tools and built-in productivity extras carry over. (Android Authority)
Google has pitched Chromebooks as simple, secure and inexpensive alternatives to laptops running Microsoft’s Windows or Apple’s macOS. Moving to an Android base could let Google streamline app compatibility across phones, tablets and laptops, and push more updates through the Play Store rather than full operating system releases.
But the downside scenario is messy: a split fleet, with some devices stuck on “legacy” ChromeOS while newer models jump stacks, creating different feature sets and support burdens. If early builds ship without key ChromeOS features — or if desktop browsing behaves like mobile Chrome — Google risks frustrating the education and enterprise customers that bought Chromebooks precisely for consistency.
The next tests will be practical ones: which chipsets and memory configurations make the cut, how Google handles browser features such as profiles and extensions at scale, and whether the company can publish a clear timetable before procurement cycles lock in for the next school year.
