Google Planning Superthin, 2-in-1 Laptop Running New OS (Report)

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Google is reportedly developing a 'superthin' 12.3-inch touch-screen laptop that will run its upcoming Android / Chrome OS hybrid OS, codenamed Andromeda. Android Police reports today (Sept. 26) that the notebook, known as both 'Bison' and 'Pixel 3' internally at Google, will be the first laptop powered by the new platform when it is released in mid-to-late 2017. 

The report claims that 'Bison' will not be marketed as a Chromebook, but instead an Android laptop featuring aspects of Chrome OS. Android Police claims that this notebook would signal the end of the Chromebook Pixel line, and begin the Andromeda Pixel line.

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Some early, but not final, specs shared in the report point to the device being a 2-in-1, but it's not clear if the notebook will feature the rotating display form seen in the Chromebook Flip or the detachable design used by Microsoft's Surface Book. It's also supposed to be incredibly thin, at less than 10 millimeters (which would beat the 10.4-millimeter thick HP Spectre).

It appears there could be two models, with one sporting an Intel m3 CPU, 32GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The higher-end model will feature an i5 CPU, 128GB of storage and 16GB of RAM.

Looking at its ports and features The notebooks should also sport a fingerprint scanner, two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm analogue audio jack, stylus support and stereo speakers. Supposedly this notebook will offer up to 10 hours of battery life, with a backlit keyboard and glass touchpad with haptic feedback and force detection, similar to what you find in the MacBook.

But don't expect to see any roaming 'Bison' at Google's October 4 event, as Android police speculates Google will only show off 'an Andromeda demo,' without revealing the hardware.

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Henry T. Casey