Google breaking down barriers between Android & OS

Google may be looking to add support for Android apps from the Google Play store on Chrome OS, its laptop platform, according to Ars Technica.

A user on Reddit found evidence that the company is considering providing cross-platform capabilities for apps so they can run across smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

This capability has been around, to a degree, for a while — a limited number of Android apps are already available on Chrome OS. However, the impending update would expand support to over 1 million apps from the Google Play store. Google has not yet confirmed the reports, however, it’s likely the company will wait until its I/O developer conference on May 18 to unveil any changes of this magnitude.

Google's engineers have been working to combine the two platforms for some time, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). However, the company dispelled these rumors shortly afterward in a blog post, stating that Chrome OS would continue to receive support. Nevertheless, with this discovery, it’s likely that the company will either adopt some of Chrome’s capabilities into Android or look for ways to make them work together more seamlessly.

Google's strategy is similar to Microsoft’s Windows 10 platform, which allows apps to run across devices. Microsoft hopes this capability will help it extend its lead in the PC software market to mobile devices.

In the same way, Google may be hoping that a unified Android OS will help leverage its mobile dominance to improve its share of larger computing devices. Android accounts for roughly 80% of global smartphone platform market share, however, Chromebooks carve out a much smaller niche share of the global PC market, according to the IDC.