Google’s Chrome OS: Why?
Posted in This Just In... on July 8th, 2009 by gkrakow
Why do we really need another operating system?
I realize Google would like to continue annoying their competition – but why would we need to contend with yet another version of Linux?
Google just announced that they’re busy working on an operating system that will compete with Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Mac OS. Actually, what Google is calling their Chrome OS will be similar to the Mac OS in the sense that both add their own features and “look” to open source, Unix/Linux underpinnings.
Google Chrome (the OS) will include Google’s online office suite and a bunch of their other applications including Google Chrome (the Web browser). The Windows version of Google’s Chrome browser has just come out of Beta – and they announced they’re busy working on Mac and Linux versions as well.
Google says we’ll see some netbooks running the Chrome OS by the second half of next year. They are reportedly working with a number of technology giants including Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, Acer and Qualcomm on a number of new devices.
But, the question remains – why do we really need Google’s Chrome operating system? Aside from Windows (Windows 7 is due mid-October) Mac OS (Snow Leopard coming soon) and a number of terrific versions of Linux (I love Ubuntu) Google has another OS to compete with.
Google’s Android OS, currently relegated to smartphones, is also being touted for netbook use. Just last month, at Taiwan’s annual computer fest, there was a netbook running an early version of an Android-based OS that received a lot of press.
So, why would Google need two systems aside from keeping up with Microsoft (Windows/Windows Mobile) and Apple (Mac OS/iPhone)? I’m not sure either.
The bottom line: they probably only need one good OS. Computer operating systems are not as important these days as smartphone operating systems. That’s not to say that Microsoft and Apple don’t make money on their PC/computer software – it’s just that smartphones and mobile devices are the future of personal computing and that’s where the next big competition will take place.
The ChromeWindows/Mac/Linux OS competition will be interesting to watch but expect the fight for smartphopne OS supremacy to be the really meaningful slugfest.
Yoiu can see what TheStreet.com’s Scott Moritz and I have to say about the Chrome OS in the video below: