[Rumor] Samsung and Google Planning Android Laptops with Android 5.0/Key Lime Pie

[dgstorm]

We are calling this one a rumor for now, but there are some distinct signs that Samsung and Google are planning to out an Android based laptop using Google's Android 5.0/Key Lime Pie. According to industry expert Mingchi Kuo of KGI Securities, Android 5.0 will be similar in focus to Android 3.0/Honeycomb. Just like Honeycomb was designed to bring the Android smartphone OS to tablets, Key Lime Pie will be designed to bridge the gap between the current Android world and the world of the laptop PC.

Supposedly, Google has specifically engineered Key Lime Pie for this purpose and Samsung has elected to "run with the ball." Mr. Kuo indicated that we will not likely see Key Lime Pie launch at Google I/O 2013, but instead we will see some other version of Android 4.x (most likely 4.3 from all the intel we have been sharing lately). However, According to Kuo, Samsung will lead the way with an "Android Book" Android based laptop within about four months which might coincide with the Google launch of Android 5.0.

If true, this could be the start of Google & Samsung assailing both Apple and Microsoft on a whole new front. I doubt Apple ever expected Google or Samsung to go up against their powerful "Macbook" line, and for Microsoft this could be a nightmare scenario. Sales of PC's have already started declining drastically over the past two years with the rise of tablets. With Microsoft struggling to push their way into the tablet market, and with Android tablets gaining ground on Apple's iPad, getting flanked by Samsung and Google on the PC side of things could be a very powerful surprise sneak attack.

Could Android 5.0/Key Lime Pie be the start of an Android/PC hybrid which brings a third serious OS competitor to the world of the desktop/laptop world? If so, it could shake up the industry in a big way.

Source: CNET

 

[kodiak799]

Major step toward a true 3-in-1 device.

But the thing with MS - Office creates a HUGE barrier to entry for them. If this laptop could run a fully functional Office suite, I'd be all over it. But don't expect MS to cooperate in that regard.

Either way, this is a major development even if it only appeals to the casual/entertainment use for laptops. Macs and PCs have at least a $200 embedded cost for the OS. Plus, Android will bring a ton of quality free software. Definitely an interesting development to watch. I'd expect all kinds of compatability issues, but I would love to load Android on one of my older PC's.

 

[trestevenson]

If this rumor turns out to be true, I wonder where Chrome OS fits into the equation?

 

[pc747]

If this rumor turns out to be true, I wonder where Chrome OS fits into the equation?

Just thinking the same thing. I would really like to see them allow chromebooks to update to that or start incorporating them into chomebooks. Because chrome os is eh...

 

[Asgard]

I was thinking that it was going to be the other way around.
One weakness of android is that Java is slower than C++, even at last years I/O they showed how to speed up java to have the speed of C++ and the big Chrome Andy and Google was giving me the idea of Chrome OS merging with android

 

[52brandon]

If this rumor turns out to be true, I wonder where Chrome OS fits into the equation?

Chrome OS has always been just a browser-only OS. KLP sounds like it will be a real OS in terms of being able to do anything on the computer and it doesn't have to be all through the net

 

[riko540]

If this rumor turns out to be true, I wonder where Chrome OS fits into the equation?

I remember reading somewhere that Google was planning on merging Android and Chrome OS eventually. This may be a step in that direction.

 

[PereDroid]

Just the opposite was reported yesterday. GOOG said they would NOT merge the 2.

Google I/O: Android, Chrome Not Merging - Hardware - Handhelds/PDAs -

 

[sglover]

It's just a rumor right.. Rumor is rumor haha

 

[kodiak799]

A few years ago, Rubin (I think) said eventually Chrome OS and Android would merge. Either that has changed or they are trying to keep it secret. Chrome OS seems almost like an after-thought, but perhaps if it ever was what it needs to be it would make the Android OS overly bloated and lethargic. I look at Win7, for example, and with no mobile/touch modules it pushes 20gigs installed.