Engadget
Some recent Chromebook devices will be able to switch to the new operating system.
It's a new era for Google's laptops as the company is set to release the first wave of Googlebooks, which run on an Android-based operating system. Google will still keep ChromeOS going for several more years and the company has shed more light on how long it will continue support for the current operating system.
According to a support page for enterprise and education users, Google will keep issuing ChromeOS updates and security patches until mid-2034. Engadget has asked Google to clarify whether the same timeline applies to the consumer version of ChromeOS.
Google has said that Chromebooks will receive 10 years of support, so if you've bought one recently, you may have been wondering how that aligns with the company's move to a new operating system. "For qualifying devices purchased today whose 10-year support lifecycle extends beyond 2034, Google is committed to supporting your transition to Googlebook OS, with many devices offering direct migration paths," the support page states.
A separate note adds that "Many of our newest Chromebook devices will be eligible to transition over to Googlebook OS." Google has promised to share more details on what that looks like soon. It also plans to roll out the first Googlebook OS device management features for enterprise and education users in the second half of 2027.
The company announced Googlebooks around the time of its I/O developer conference earlier this year, and pulled back the curtain on its new laptops last week, just as it opened pre-orders for these models. The first Googlebooks will arrive on October 4 and we've had a chance to try them out.