Google's Android PCs are apparently also coming with Intel chips
Google wants to launch Android-based notebooks on the market from 2026. Intel is apparently preparing its processors for this.
Android logo.
(Image: Mamun_Sheikh/Shutterstock.com)
Intel has released an update for the NPU driver for Linux, which affects the Core Ultra processors “Meteor Lake,” “Arrow Lake,” and “Lunar Lake.” The adjustments are apparently also intended to support Google's Android PC, which is expected in 2026.
The X user SquashBionic (via Techpowerup) discovered the changes and pointed out the support for Android in his post, which probably indicates support for Google's Android PC project. During Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, Google confirmed that the company intends to launch Android-based notebooks on the market in 2026.
Videos by heise
Google wants to merge ChromeOS and Android into one operating system. Android will form the technical basis, while the user interface will apparently largely correspond to that of ChromeOS. According to Google, the new OS will focus on AI and seamless interaction with other products in the Android ecosystem.
“This combination is something we're very excited about for next year,” said Android boss Sameer Samat.
Google seems to be driving ChromeOS strategy
Given that Google had made the announcement for the new platform at Qualcomm, one might have thought that the Android PCs would possibly only be powered by ARM chips. By adapting the NPU drivers of the Intel chips, the new operating system will probably also support X86 processors.
Meanwhile, Google appears to want to retain the full range of processor architectures, which also included ChromeOS, for the Android PCs launching in 2026. Chromebooks will be offered with ARM chips from Qualcomm and Mediatek, as well as with x86 processors from Intel and AMD. This has not yet been confirmed, but the NPU adaptations for Intel point to this.
Whether Google's Android PCs will be a successful alternative to Windows or macOS, however, is another matter. If Google were to only allow the installation of Android apps from the Play Store, the platform would basically be equivalent to a Windows 10S (S mode), which was not particularly successful and was primarily intended for educational use. However, there are indications that Google is working on supporting Linux applications, which would make the Android PC platform more versatile.
(afl)
