Right now if you wanted to run Chrome OS, you’d pretty much need to get yourself a Chromebook. However, that could change in the future as Google and Neverware have announced that Google has acquired the latter and their CloudReady OS, which Google plans to eventually make it an official Chrome OS offering.
For those who are unfamiliar, CloudReady OS is a platform based on Chromium. It allows non-Chromebook devices to run Chrome OS. The idea is that this can turn older hardware that is no longer supported into a new computer running a new operating system, like getting a new lease on life.
Exciting news to share: Neverware & CloudReady are now officially part of Google and the Chrome OS team! We’re looking forward to sharing more details with CloudReady customers, users, and fans in the coming weeks, but for now, click here for more info: https://t.co/ZBkH2IFVsZ
— Neverware (@neverware) December 14, 2020
For the most part, CloudReady OS is typically used by schools and enterprises, but this acquisition and Google and Neverware’s statements suggest that it will eventually be folded into Chrome OS where it could eventually make its way onto more devices in the future. According to Google, “As CloudReady becomes an official Chrome OS offering, you can expect the release mechanics to fall in line with official Chrome OS releases.”
Right now, Chrome OS doesn’t particularly command a large portion of the computer market, but this acquisition could in theory allow Google to expand on that, so it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.