In a previous discussion, I explored how Google’s decision to merge ChromeOS and Android represents a pivotal moment for the company.
While this merger signals significant progress, it raises a key question: Can Android truly evolve into a desktop-class operating system for touchscreen laptops?
As Google reimagines Android for larger devices and productivity-focused workflows, it faces both challenges and opportunities.
Android compatibility is already integrated into most Arm and x86 Chromebooks.
However, the quality of this experience varies greatly across devices and applications. Some Android apps work seamlessly on Chromebooks, providing smooth, laptop-like functionality.
On the other hand, other apps face performance issues or compatibility quirks, such as unoptimized scaling, touch input problems, or limited keyboard and trackpad support.
For Android to succeed as a laptop operating system, Google must directly address these inconsistencies.
The Challenge: Android’s History with Larger Screens
Since its introduction on tablets in 2010, Android has struggled to adapt to larger screens.
Developers, driven by the massive smartphone market, often overlooked tablets, resulting in apps that feel like stretched-out versions of their phone counterparts.
Although Google has made strides in improving developer tools, the Play Store still offers a limited selection of apps optimized for tablets or Chromebooks compared to Apple’s robust iPad ecosystem.
This issue is further complicated by OEM customizations, where manufacturers add their own skins, pre-installed apps, and design tweaks to Android devices.
Samsung’s One UI, for example, offers features and designs that diverge significantly from stock Android, leading to inconsistent experiences across devices.
While these customizations can enhance the user experience, they also increase fragmentation, which Adrian Kingsley-Hughes aptly dubbed Android’s “Toxic Hellstew” a decade ago.
Since then, Google has taken steps to reduce fragmentation and streamline updates through initiatives like Project Treble, which separates the OS from OEM customizations.
Although Treble has improved the situation, OEMs still play a significant role in the update process, and delays remain common. This inconsistency undermines user trust and complicates Google’s efforts to create a unified Android experience across devices.
What Google Needs to Do
1. Refactor Android for Larger Screens
As someone who has used Android devices extensively across phones, tablets, and Chromebooks, I’ve always found the interface serviceable, but never fully optimized for larger screens.
While Android can accomplish a lot, it falls short compared to macOS, Windows, or iPadOS when offering a cohesive, productivity-focused experience. If Google is serious about Android as a desktop-class OS, the interface needs a major overhaul.
Window Management: One of the first things that needs to change is the ability to manage multiple apps in resizable, draggable windows, along with a taskbar to organize everything.
Android’s current split-screen functionality, while functional on phones and tablets, feels rigid and clunky on Chromebooks. It lacks the fluidity of macOS or Windows, where multitasking is seamless.
Navigation: Android’s gestures are designed primarily for touchscreens, but a laptop needs more flexibility.
A seamless experience across touch, trackpad, keyboard, and stylus inputs is crucial, yet Android struggles to integrate these tools smoothly. For example, switching between apps using a trackpad feels like a workaround rather than a natural feature.
Multi-display Support: When plugging in an external monitor, it quickly becomes clear how unprepared Android is for multitasking on larger setups.
Without proper scaling and flexible window management, the experience feels more like a patchwork solution than a polished one.
Here, Google could learn from macOS, which makes managing multiple displays effortless.
Quick Settings and Notifications: These features, designed for mobile devices, need a complete rethink for laptops. Imagine a control center similar to macOS’s that allows quick access to essential settings without cluttering the screen.
While Android’s current implementation is functional, it doesn’t feel optimized for a productivity-focused environment.
2. Redesign Multitasking: Android’s Achilles’ Heel
Multitasking has always been a weak point for Android on larger screens. As someone who relies on multitasking for work apps, video calls, and research, I’ve found Android’s approach to multitasking frustratingly rigid.
The split-screen feature locks users into fixed configurations, making it hard to work efficiently.
For Android to thrive on laptops, it needs true flexibility in app arrangement. Imagine being able to drag and drop app windows anywhere on the screen, resizing them freely to fit your workflow.
Persistent app states are also essential — users shouldn’t have to reopen apps and reset their workspace every time they restart their device.
Additionally, introducing virtual desktops, similar to macOS’s Mission Control or Windows’ Task View, could help users separate different workflows into dedicated spaces.
3. Build a Thriving App Ecosystem
None of these improvements will matter if Android apps don’t evolve to meet the demands of laptops and tablets. A robust app ecosystem is the foundation of any operating system.
Although Android boasts a massive app library, most apps are still primarily optimized for phones, often feeling like enlarged versions of their mobile counterparts on larger screens.
Google has the tools to address this. Enhancing developer resources like Jetpack Compose and Android Studio could make creating adaptive apps easier and more intuitive.
Developers need better templates and simulation tools to test their apps across a variety of screen sizes and input methods.
However, tools alone won’t solve the problem. Google must incentivize developers with real rewards — monetary grants, reduced Play Store fees, or special promotional features for apps that meet optimization standards.
A “Best on Tablets” badge in the Play Store could attract more developers to optimize their apps for larger screens.
Google could also provide developers with detailed performance metrics, helping them improve app performance on Chromebooks and tablets.
4. Improve Performance: The Non-Negotiable Foundation
Performance is another critical area where Android needs improvement. Running Android apps on Chromebooks often feels inconsistent.
Some apps perform flawlessly, while others lag or face compatibility issues. For a laptop operating system, this level of inconsistency is unacceptable.
One solution is to ensure native app support for both ARM and x86 architectures, eliminating the need for emulation. Native support would provide smoother multitasking, faster load times, and a more reliable experience.
Additionally, Google should introduce laptop-specific APIs that take advantage of hardware features like styluses, high-precision trackpads, and multi-touch displays.
Hardware acceleration, particularly for windowed apps, would also enhance responsiveness and help Android compete with macOS and Windows.
5. Leverage Gemini AI: The Future of Productivity
While the areas mentioned above represent opportunities for Android to catch up to macOS, iPadOS, and Windows, one area where Android could surpass its competitors is artificial intelligence.
Google’s Gemini AI has the potential to transform Android laptops into powerful productivity tools.
Imagine smart multitasking features that learn user habits and suggest app pairings for split-screen setups.
For example, if you frequently take notes during video calls, Gemini could automatically open your preferred video app alongside your note-taking app.
Context-aware workflows could adapt settings or recommend apps based on your current task, such as suggesting photo editing tools when you’re importing images.
Gemini’s AI could also revolutionize content creation by introducing features like auto-summarization in Google Docs, intelligent formatting suggestions, or real-time collaboration tools.
For hands-free interaction, AI-driven gestures and voice commands could make going through apps or presenting slides more intuitive.
Perhaps most exciting is Gemini’s potential for system optimization. By monitoring resource usage, it could recommend ways to improve battery life, allocate processing power more effectively, or predict performance bottlenecks before they occur.
Why Now is the Time for Google to Act
As Apple and Microsoft continue to refine their ecosystems, Google risks falling further behind. The merger of ChromeOS and Android presents an opportunity to rethink Android’s role in the computing space.
By addressing long-standing challenges like fragmentation and gaps in the app ecosystem, Google could position Android as a true competitor to macOS, iPadOS, and Windows.
The future of hybrid computing depends on how well Google addresses these challenges.
Will Android rise to meet the demands of modern laptops, or will it remain confined to the sidelines of innovation?
The next steps Google takes could redefine the industry — or cement Android’s place as a mobile-first platform struggling to scale.
