The first Chromebooks were launched a decade ago, and Google is celebrating this milestone with a major update to Chrome OS 89 that features a ton of user-centric features. The company is also taking the opportunity to see where Chromebooks will go in the future.
Chromebooks today
Where Chromebooks are going is best demonstrated by the two sets of features that Google introduced with Chrome OS 89. “Better together” is the first pillar and aims to capture how people today perform various tasks constantly on multiple devices. The deadline dates back to 2018, when Chrome OS added instant tethering, smart unlock (if your phone and laptop are side by side) and text messages with Messaging for the web.
The latest iteration of Better Together begins with a Phone Hub dashboard that allows you to quickly silence and locate your Android devices, as well as view recently opened Chrome tabs and respond to notifications. In the coming months, Nearby Share will be able to transfer files between Android and Chrome OS.
There will be “more feature releases this year that will help your devices work better together” as the Chrome OS team works to “bring Google’s utility to more devices in your life”.
Increasing productivity is another focus of Chrome OS 89. It covers a wide range of features to help you “get things done quickly”. For example, there is now a “scholarship” [bag] section on the shelf that stores recent screenshots and other pinned files, while the clipboard saves your most recent five copies.
Chromebooks of the future
Looking ahead, Google has identified four areas for Chromebooks in the future. “Always safe”It is a longstanding trend, as seen by the upgrade model and presence of the security chip Titan C, while“working perfectly”It is captured by the resources launched now.
To offer more “smart experiences, ”The company sees“ using [its] artificial intelligence technology to help people proactively. ”We asked about the status of the Assistant on Chromebooks today, and Google discussed how to integrate it into user workflows, rather than having it as a separate experience.
Today, it is closely aligned with the app launcher and Google plans to expand the set of features that can run on it. This is in sharp contrast to the first iteration of the Assistant on Chromebooks being its own chat box. In more immediate terms, Chrome OS 89 features Quick Responses that appear when you right-click on the text. This loads wizard branding definitions, translations, and metric conversions.
This mainstay also sees Google talking about “integrating sensor technologies for more personalized experiences”. Most people don’t think of laptops as being “smart” compared to phones or wearables, but putting the same type of sensors in larger formats – and still portable – is increasingly trivial. You should allow your devices to be more aware of the context and adapt better to what you are doing. An example presented last year is Ambient EQ to adjust your monitor’s white balance and color temperature to the current environment.
Another big boost is “stay connected”As demonstrated by Instant Tethering and Phone Hub today, as well as the emergence of more Chromebooks with LTE cellular connections. This class of always-on devices is especially useful today for education customers, and a handful have already been announced this year.
This is part of the broader effort for more formats, with Google preferring convertibles with Chrome OS, which guarantee a keyboard, rather than standalone tablets. On this front, Google told us that there is interest from users and OEM partners in more Chromeboxes and MFPs (Chromebases) in the light of homework.
FTC: We use affiliate links for automobiles that generate revenue. Most.
Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: