Windows programs for ChromeOS: Google buys Cameyo
Running Windows programs virtually on Linux, Android and ChromeOS – this is what Cameyo specializes in. The company now belongs to Google.
Virtualized Windows applications should give ChromeOS a boost.
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Google is acquiring the US company Cameyo, which specializes in the virtualization of Windows and Linux applications. Cameyo was already a Google partner; together they have made Windows applications usable for ChromeOS and ChromeOS Flex, in addition to long-supported Linux and Android software. With the acquisition of Cameyo, "we are doubling down on our promise to simplify the use of virtualized applications", said ChromeOS Product Manager Naveen Viswanatha.
According to the manufacturer, Cameyo application virtualization allows a portable version to be created from any Windows program (virtual application delivery, VAD). This then starts from a USB stick, via a network or cloud services such as Dropbox on any computer, including Windows systems themselves. The software can also be used in browser windows thanks to HTML5 and Progressive Web Apps. As the name suggests, Cameyo for Linux virtualizes Linux software for use on different operating systems and browsers. Cameyo for GPU, on the other hand, is designed for applications that place high demands on graphics processors.
In addition, Google and Cameyo have worked together to ensure that the Windows programs virtualized with Cameyo are integrated into the local ChromeOS file system and support the clipboard well so that there is no system break when using other software on the device in parallel. Google's announcement does not provide any financial details of the takeover or its impact on the workforce. Cameyo was founded in 2010 by Eyal Dotan and is headquartered in the US state of North Carolina.
The company sees its offerings as a cheaper, faster alternative to Citrix and promises 70 percent lower costs than traditional virtual desktops. Google also advertises ChromeOS with lower acquisition and administration costs, as well as environmental friendliness thanks to lower hardware requirements: ChromeOS Flex has been available free of charge since 2022 and can be used to give almost any PC a second life as a ChromeOS computer. In addition, IT security is comparatively good. So far, no successful ransomware attacks on ChromeOS or ChromeOS Flex are known.
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