On July 7, 2009, Google made what is potentially its most significant announcement in its relatively short history. The blog post, entitled “Introducing the Google Chrome OS,” informed the public that Google is now in the process of developing an operating system that will debut to the world some time in mid-late 2010. Keep reading to learn the full implications.
For anyone that follows Google and its products, the Chrome brand name should sound familiar. Google’s Internet browser released a year or two ago was released under the same name. While this may seem strange to many at first, there is actually a very good reason for the repetition.
Essentially, Chrome OS is an extension of the functionality of the Chrome browser to an entirely new platform. More accurately, the Chrome browser was a spring board from which Google can now launch its latest foray into the technology world. While this may seem confusing at first, it makes more sense once you understand the theory behind Chrome OS and where Google is trying to go.
Those followers of Google might also find this announcement odd coming shortly after the release of the first Google operating system: Android. Android was primarily developed for cellular phones and other hand held devices. However, in the near future it will also be adapted to function with netbooks.
As Chrome OS is also (initially) being targeted toward netbooks, it seems like Google is effectively eating up its own market share. However, the intentions behind each of the operating systems are remarkably far apart. Chances are that users will pick one or the other of the two operating systems for their various purposes, rather than being forced to choose between the two to achieve the same ends.
One of the most exciting implications of the Chrome OS is that it means that Google is finally taking a stab at Microsoft in its home market: operating systems. Just as Google has traditionally been undisputed in the search engine market (in recent technological history), Microsoft faces only mild competition from such brands as Apple and Linux. If Google could make a serious dent in Microsoft’s operating system market share, it would be the dawn of a new age for technology and the Internet.
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