Google court filings suggest ChromeOS has an expiration date

Google has a plan to abandon its ChromeOS operating system once the current support guarantee expires. The company's plans for an Android-based platform called Aluminium are set to come into play in 2026, according to newly unearthed court documents.

The documents were filed as part of Google's long-running search antitrust case, which began in 2020 and reached a verdict in 2024. As the trial progressed, Google was asked to provide more details about its plans for Chromebooks and Aluminium, leading to the filing of the court documents in question.

According to the filing, Google aims to launch Aluminium devices by late 2026, although it's unclear if these devices will be available to consumers before then. The company expects Aluminium to eventually supplant ChromeOS in enterprise and education settings, which would put Chromebooks on the chopping block.

Google has promised 10 years of Chromebook support, but this is based on the date of purchase rather than the hardware platform used. This means that Google will only need to support newer devices through 2033, after which point it plans to phase out ChromeOS altogether by 2034.

The company's motivations for moving away from ChromeOS are clear: Aluminium offers a more powerful desktop platform with capabilities that should far surpass those of ChromeOS. When run on high-end laptop hardware, Android's performance and features should be unmatched by ChromeOS.

Aluminium is designed to integrate tightly with Google apps like Chrome and the Play Store, giving users an unparalleled level of integration with the company's services. This could give Google more latitude in how it manages the platform and retains users, all without running afoul of recent antitrust rulings.

Ultimately, the abandonment of ChromeOS marks a significant shift in Google's approach to its operating systems. After years of developing and supporting ChromeOS, the company is now looking to move on to new technologies that will give it greater control over the desktop experience for its users.

google gonna drop chromeos like its hot , but can they even make aluminium not as cringeworthy as chromebook was ? at least they're switching to android tho, i guess performance-wise, but what about all the devs who built their own apps on top of chromeos? they gotta think 'bout that

I'm totally stoked about Aluminium being a thing ... wait, no I mean, I'm totally bummed out by this news . I was just thinking ChromeOS is getting old and needs an upgrade, but now Google's gonna abandon it? That's harsh . On the other hand, the thought of Android on high-end laptops is actually pretty exciting ... or so I've been told . I mean, wouldn't it be cool to have seamless integration with Chrome and Play Store apps? Sounds like a dream come true... but at what cost? Will we lose the simplicity of ChromeOS? I don't know, man . Maybe Aluminium is the future, or maybe it's just a fancy way of saying "ChromeOS 2.0" . Guess only time will tell .

I'm kinda surprised about this news tbh, like what happened to Chromebooks? I remember my mum's old laptop running ChromeOS and it was pretty solid . But I guess Aluminium is supposed to be way more powerful, so maybe it's a good move for Google? Still a bit sad for all the Chromebook fans out there though...

I'm not surprised to hear about Google's plans to ditch ChromeOS . It makes sense that they'd want to consolidate their efforts around a more powerful platform like Aluminium . I mean, ChromeOS has been around for a while and it's held us back in terms of raw performance compared to Android on high-end hardware.

I'm curious to see how this will play out, especially in the enterprise and education spaces . Will Google be able to make Aluminium appealing to those users who've invested so much into Chromebooks? It's also interesting that they're trying to integrate it tightly with their own services - I think that's a key part of why they'll want to keep Aluminium around.

Overall, I think this shift is a sign of Google's willingness to adapt and innovate in the ever-changing world of operating systems . It'll be cool to see what they come up with next

so this makes sense, they're basically gonna phase out chromebooks and just focus on android devices with aluminium think about it, android's been doing this thing where it integrates google apps and services seamlessly, that's why people still use their old phones even when the hardware is outdated chromeos has always felt a bit like a watered down version of that plus google can now control the desktop experience more easily, which is good for them but might suck for users i'm not sure how they'll make this transition smooth tho, what if people don't want to switch?

man... can you imagine what's gonna happen when chromeos basically dies ? I mean, people are already getting a bit used to having multiple platforms to choose from but like... chromium-based os has been around for ages now . still, aluminium seems way more powerful than anything we've seen in chromeos so far .

the good thing is that google's gonna keep supporting it for like 10 years or so which should give people some breathing room . and who knows maybe the transition to aluminium will be smooth ? but if not... well, we'll just have to adapt again .

This sounds like big changes coming our way . I'm a bit worried about what this means for people who rely on Chromebooks for work or education - 10 years of support is definitely better than nothing, but it's still not ideal that they'll have to switch to Aluminium eventually . On the other hand, I can see why Google would want to upgrade its desktop platform - Android is super powerful and integrated with all their services . It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially for users who are used to having ChromeOS as a familiar option .

I'm low-key surprised by this news . I mean, who wouldn't want a more powerful desktop platform? The stats on ChromeOS are pretty meh - it's only used on like 10% of all Android devices . Meanwhile, Aluminium is gonna be the real MVP. Did you see those numbers on Chromebook sales in 2024? Only $150M in revenue . Compare that to Google's projected £1B loss for Aluminium, and I think it's safe to say we'll be seeing more of this new platform soon . And let's be real, the integration with Google apps is gonna be insane - can you imagine being able to access all your files and docs from any device?

I'm not sure if I should be excited or terrified about this news . I mean, on one hand, Aluminium sounds like a beast of an operating system - who wouldn't want the power and capabilities of Android on their Chromebook? But on the other hand, it's hard not to feel a sense of nostalgia for ChromeOS, which has been my trusty sidekick for so many years. I've grown accustomed to its snappy performance and seamless integration with Google apps - will Aluminium be able to replicate that magic?

What really gets me is the thought of all those Chromebooks just getting phased out like they're yesterday's news . I know it's not a new thing for companies to retire old technology, but there's something about it that feels... final . And what will happen to all those people who rely on their Chromebooks for work or education? Will Aluminium be able to fill the gap?

I guess only time will tell if Google's gamble with Aluminium will pay off . One thing's for sure, though - it's going to be interesting to see how this plays out .

this is gonna be a big change for chromebook users ... i mean, who doesn't love having all their google apps in one place? but 10 years of support might not be enough for some folks ... what do u think, should we be worried about this shift to aluminium?

so google's gonna abandon chromeos like that? 10 years support is still pretty generous considering they're already planning to phase it out by 2034 i think this makes sense though, aluminium sounds like a beast of a platform. all those google apps integrated together will be super convenient for users but at the same time, it's kinda sad that chromeos is being left behind i mean, it was always about accessibility and affordability for people who need a decent laptop on a budget but maybe aluminium is the future, we'll see how it plays out

I'm not sure what to think about this news... Google has been a major player in the Chromebook market for years, but if they're really planning to abandon ChromeOS and move to Aluminium, it's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out. I mean, on one hand, it sounds like Aluminium is gonna be a game-changer with its powerful desktop platform and tight integration with Google apps... but on the other hand, I'm worried about what this means for users who are invested in ChromeOS. Are we just gonna be stuck in the dark ages of tech if Google decides to abandon us?

ugh this is gonna be a mess... think about all those chromebooks just gonna become outdated overnight and what's Google gonna do with them? throw 'em away i guess? aluminium sounds like just another way for google to make more cash off people who actually need decent desktop computers i mean, 10 years of chromebook support is basically just a lie, they'll stop supporting those things the moment it's convenient for them... and what about all the businesses that invested in chromeos already? are they gonna be left high and dry? this whole thing just reeks of corporate greed to me

omg, so chromeos is basically done ... i mean, google has been trying to get away from chromeos for a while now, but this sounds like the final nail in the coffin ... aluminium seems like a solid replacement tho, all those extra features and performance upgrades will be nice ... but what about all the people who are already invested in chromeos? won't google still support them for a bit longer? ... also, do you think aluminium will be available to consumers before 2026? wouldn't that be kinda crazy to launch it that soon ... and i'm curious, how big of a role will chromebooks play in enterprise and education settings once chromeos is phased out?

OMG u guys I'm literally SHAKEN by this news like what just happened to ChromeOS?! Google's been holding onto it for so long and now they're just gonna abandon ship . I get that Aluminium sounds promising and all but can we talk about how this affects the little guy (us consumers)? What happens to our beloved Chromebooks? Will we even be able to use them after 2033?! And what's with the lack of transparency from Google, like, why didn't they just tell us this sooner?! I'm all about innovation and progress but can we please have some warning signs or something?! This whole situation is giving me major anxiety

I'm low-key worried about this . I've been using my Chromebook for a while now and I love how seamless it is with Google apps... if they're gonna ditch ChromeOS, what's next? Aluminium sounds promising, but 10 years of support might not be enough... what if we're left in the dark when our devices are no longer supported?

so what's up with chromeos? i mean i've had a few laptops running it in the past and they're fine but... google's been kinda quiet about their plans for the future and now this news comes out that they're basically abandoning ship by 2034. i'm not surprised though, aluminium sounds like a beast of an os and if chromeos can't keep up then why bother? but what about all us users who are still rocking our trusty old chromebooks ? will they just be left high and dry when the support ends?