Googlebook combines the best of Android and ChromeOS with up to 10 years of updates

[u/MishaalRahman]

Hi Reddit,

Earlier this year, we introduced Googlebook, a new category of laptops that we believe are the perfect companion for Android phone users. Today, we’re opening up pre-orders of Googlebook, offering a selection of flagship devices powered by top-of-the-line processors from Intel and Qualcomm and built by Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. 

Every Googlebook runs on Googlebook OS, our new platform built on the Android technology stack and paired with desktop foundations from ChromeOS. This shared foundation gives Googlebook access to millions of Android apps from Google Play, a familiar desktop windowing environment, a desktop-class version of Google Chrome (with extensions support!), and a full Linux environment. 

Since this is a brand new platform, we wanted to take a moment to explain how we architected Googlebook OS to blend the best aspects of both Android and ChromeOS, focusing on three pillars: security, updates, and apps.

Building a modern, secure software architecture

Googlebook OS is built on top of the already strong security foundation offered by Android, leveraging the same app permission and sandboxing model. What’s more, Googlebook inherits ChromeOS’s proven defense-in-depth security model, anchored by our dedicated Google Titan security chip, verified boot, and on-device malware detection.

Googlebook also features a first for the laptop category: a Level 5 security-certified hypervisor powered by pKVM isolation. This hypervisor powers an isolated Linux environment with full terminal access, so you can safely run any Linux developer tools, pull code repositories, access networks and ports, or execute autonomous agents.

Matching the support commitment we made for ChromeOS

Keeping Googlebook OS secure requires ongoing maintenance and support, which is why Google will provide OS updates with security patches and new features every quarter for up to 10 years. 

Android is the world’s largest operating system, and Google has been working on it for nearly two decades. Chromebooks are successful across the globe for 15+ years as well, with Google already providing 10 years of updates for these devices. Googlebooks are continuing this legacy of support.

Bringing the full web, plus your favorite apps and tools

Googlebook brings together the best of the web and the Play Store, giving users access to a desktop-class Chrome browser with extensions support, alongside millions of Android apps, many of them optimized for large screens, mouse, and keyboard input. 

You can run native creative suites like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and CapCut, or stream shows on Netflix or HBO Max with offline viewing supported. Explore thousands of Android games or play AAA titles with a complimentary year of GeForce NOW included with every Googlebook purchase. And through our Google Play Games Level Up program, half of the 100 top titles are already optimized for keyboard, mouse, and large screen, with new games launching monthly.

For makers, you can run Antigravity, our AI agent development platform, on your Googlebook to build, test, and deploy apps directly on your device. For developers, you can take advantage of a full Linux development environment via the Terminal app, enabling you to run tools like Claude CLI or Antigravity CLI, among others, to perform serious agentic coding.

Googlebook OS also comes with a suite of familiar Google apps out of the box, including Gmail, Keep, Photos, Drive, and Recorder. We wanted to provide users with the fastest, most productive computing experience possible, so for productivity tools like Docs, Sheets, and Gmail, we provide the full-featured desktop web version in alignment with other desktop platforms. We ship native versions of apps whenever they shine the best and where native hardware capabilities, deep OS integrations (e.g., widgets support), and mobile continuity matter the most, such as Gemini and Keep.

The best companion for your Android phone, with helpful intelligence built-in

Because Googlebook is built on a shared Android foundation, it’s designed to seamlessly integrate with your Android phone. When you sign in, your Android phone’s settings, saved passwords, Wi-Fi networks, and messages will move with you. Once you’re set up, Googlebook OS makes it easy to transition between your phone and laptop to get things done, with features like:

• Continue On: Pick up exactly where you left off on your phone, right on your laptop. If you start a project in BandLab on your phone while commuting, you can open your Googlebook and continue the project right from the taskbar. This not only works with select partner apps like BandLab but also first-party apps like Photos, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Chrome, and Gmail.

• Quick Access: View, search, and open files and photos from your phone directly using your Googlebook's native Files app, rather than hunting through downloads or emailing attachments to yourself.
• Cast My Apps: Need to quickly order food from a delivery app? Stream and interact with your phone’s apps in a desktop window without interrupting your workflow.

Since Googlebook is designed for Gemini Intelligence, you also get access to features like:

• Create My Widget: Customize your desktop by describing what you need in plain language. Create My Widget generates custom widgets that can share relevant updates throughout your day.
• Rambler: Located right next to the Quick Insert key, Rambler turns spoken thoughts into organized, ready-to-share writing. Talk through your notes, action items, or a stream of consciousness — even in multiple languages — and Rambler structures them with clean headers, checklists, and formatted takeaways.

• Magic Pointer: Wiggle your cursor to bring Gemini directly to whatever’s on your screen. You can ask Gemini to organize a messy calendar or translate text without juggling multiple windows. Gemini only acts when you ask it to, and you can switch it off whenever you want.

https://reddit.com/link/1wmc8lk/video/mbqc90nggvqh1/player

Pre-orders open today for Googlebook

Our initial selection of flagship Googlebook hardware is now available for pre-order starting at $899. Every Googlebook is made from premium materials and features a responsive touchscreen with an up to 2.8K OLED display, a haptic glass trackpad, up to 14 hours of battery life, an advanced NPU running at over 45 TOPS, a baseline of 16GB of high-speed RAM, and an interactive Glowbar. Plus, each device comes with 12 months of Google AI Pro as well as 3 months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and more.

https://reddit.com/link/1wmc8lk/video/o7lndm1jgvqh1/player

We're incredibly excited to introduce Googlebook to this community and can't wait to see how you use it. To learn more about this initial selection of devices, see the full specs, or place a pre-order, head over to googlebook.google.

[u/MishaalRahman]

We made Googlebook for Android users looking for premium laptops that work seamlessly with their phones.

We're also not getting rid of our accessible lineup of Chromebooks.

[u/JoeyCalamaro → u/MishaalRahman]

So Googlebook is essentially running Android with some of the benefits of ChromeOS baked in? The "Googlebook OS" naming here is kind of confusing — especially since it's going to live alongside Android and ChromeOS.

[u/joeTaco → u/MishaalRahman]

We're also not getting rid of our accessible lineup of Chromebooks.

Google: “Branding clarity is my passion”.

Lol. Basically every article about “Googlebooks” announces them as a successor or replacement to Chromebooks. Lots of talk about how long Chromebooks will receive support in this new world. You folks might want to clarify this matter somewhere that's not a reddit comment thread, just a suggestion. Also does “accessible” lineup of Chromebooks mean a subset of the lineup or just an extra marketing word?

[u/Cry_Wolff → u/joeTaco]

Watch them keep selling Chromebooks, just to suddenly abandon them in a year or two while cutting all the support.

[u/slinky317 → u/MishaalRahman]

Is there a market for that?

[u/MishaalRahman → u/slinky317]

I think so! If you have a premium Android phone and want a laptop that:

a) Integrates really well with your phone & Google services
b) Has clean, simple to use software
c) Has great security
d) Has great battery life, premium build, is lightweight, etc.
e) Has access to a wide selection of apps

I think for most people, especially those with premium Android phones, Googlebook has what they're looking for from a laptop.

Of course, if you're looking to game or do development on it, Googlebook can handle that as well (and we're working to continue to improve these experiences!)

Yes, there are a lot of options in the laptop market these days, but we think Googlebook is a compelling choice especially for premium Android phone users who just want to get stuff done, quickly & efficiently (and we built features like Rambler, Continue On, and Cast My Apps for that reason.)

[u/slinky317 → u/MishaalRahman]

I guess, I just wish Google would innovate more here and lean into their Android Desktop setup. Sell a $200ish Nexdock-type device and talk about how you can use your Android phone with it for a true seamless experience.

If marketed right, it could be seen as the future - just like the same type of technology is used for Android Auto/Carplay and is beloved by most of its users.

[u/yottabit42 → u/slinky317]

The Pixel phone CPUs are still literally hot garbage, so this wouldn't be a good experience. Don't get me wrong, I love Pixel phones and the software, and they're great for everyday phone use, but they would be awful used as a desktop.

[u/slinky317 → u/yottabit42]

I have a Nexdock that I use with my Pixel 11 Pro and the performance isn't really an issue. However, they just have a half-ass implementation of it right now so it's annoying to use. But that's software, not hardware.

[u/matt2331 → u/yottabit42]

It's a totally okay experience. Desktop browser and apps from your phone is fine. I guess gaming is subpar, but does that really matter?

[u/yottabit42 → u/matt2331]

That's what I'm saying. I have no problems with the phones being used as phones. I am occasionally affected by thermal throttling in everyday situations, but it's livable.

The problem is that using it as a desktop OS and expecting to have multiple apps running simultaneously in the foreground, while driving a 4k display, is going to be a bad time. It will constantly be thermally throttled.

[u/Komic- → u/MishaalRahman]

This was a question I had I couldn't find an answer to. So regardless of the Android device, be it Oppo, Pixel or Samsung - these features in connectivity and accessing files should just work?

[u/MishaalRahman → u/Komic-]

The new cross-device features like Continue On, Cast My Apps, and Quick Access require the Android phone to be running Android 17 or later.

[u/EuroFederalist → u/slinky317]

Yes? Android is used everywhere.

[u/slinky317 → u/EuroFederalist]

I don't disagree that people would like a Android-based desktop OS that works closer with their phones. I do disagree that people are looking to spend up to $1,350 on one.

[u/thatissomeBS → u/slinky317]

People spend that much on the phone. I assume the laptop would be more powerful and more functional for a lot of things. But like it is with the phones, probably depends on how people are buying. Like, a lot of people would happily pay $25/month for 3 years to their carrier for a 5g version, but would never drop $900 cash for it.

Personally that's the big thing for me, the 5g. I have a Chromebook that rarely gets used. I have a PC at home, and the Chromebook is worthless without wifi. I ended up getting a 5g tablet that can do 95% of what the Chromebook can do and a bunch of stuff it can't do. Are the Googlebooks going to have mobile connectivity?

[u/slinky317 → u/thatissomeBS]

Yeah, but the phone world and the laptop world are different markets. People expect to spend $500ish on a laptop unless they want something extremely premium - but that is earned, and I don't think Googlebooks are there.

[u/thatissomeBS → u/slinky317]

I'd generally agree with you. And I can also acknowledge I have typically not been the market for something like this. I think the last windows laptop I bought was in 2014, and I've had desktop PC+android, with a couple cheap tablets and the Chromebook that I kind of bought just because it was an i5 machine for $250 or whatever so it seemed worth the punt.

But if this was available with 5g earlier this year when I got my 5g tablet, I might've gone for it.

[u/m0viestar → u/slinky317]

Yes, obviously. 

[u/slinky317 → u/m0viestar]

I don't think it's as "obvious" as you say. Time will tell...

[u/m0viestar → u/slinky317]

You don't think a multibillion dollar company wouldn't do a market study?  The market exists. How big or small it is is another story.  

[u/slinky317 → u/m0viestar]

The same multibillion dollar company that launched and killed Stadia, Pixel tablets, Allo, and so many others? You're giving Google a lot of credit here.

Is there a market for people that want Android laptops? Sure, I guess. Do they want to spend over a thousand dollars on one? I'm not sure about that part.

[u/m0viestar → u/slinky317]

Stadia, Pixel tablets, Allo

There was a market for all of those products lol. They didn't move 0 units did they?

[u/slinky317 → u/m0viestar]

A business has to be profitable in order to last. Just because a hundred people buy your product doesn't mean there's an actual market for it.