Eric Schmidt Notes Chrome And Android Operating System To Remain Separate Products

by Jennifer Johnson — Thursday, March 21, 2013, 03:29 PM EDT

Last week, Google said Andy Rubin will be moving to an undefined role within the company and Sundar Pichai will take over Rubin's responsibilities. Rubin is well-known as the architect of Android. Pichai was, and will continue to be, in charge of Google's Chrome web browser and other applications such as Google Drive and Gmail.

By bringing Android under the same boss as Chrome, many have speculated as to Google's future plans. Although we don’t know what Rubin will be working on (he will "start a new chapter at Google") or how the change will impact Android, Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has said Google's Chrome and Android operating systems will remain separate products. Although separate products, Schmidt did say we could see more overlap of Chrome and Android in the future.

Google's Chromebook Pixel features a touch-screen interface.

With the merger of the Chrome and Android divisions, it is reasonable to assume we will see a greater convergence of mobile and desktop software. We're already seeing some of this convergence. Just last month, Pichai unveiled the Chromebook Pixel which is the first Chrome-based laptop with a touch-screen interface.

Tags: Android, Chrome, Google, NASDAQ:GOOG

Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer grew up around technology. From an early age, she was curious about all things related to computers. As a child, Jennifer remembers spending nights with her dad programming in BASIC and taking apart hard drives to see what was inside. In high school, she wrote her senior term paper on her experiences with building custom computers.

Jennifer graduated from the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. After college, she began writing full-time for various PC and technology magazines. Later, she transitioned to the Web. In these roles, Jennifer has covered a variety of topics including laptops, desktops, smartphones, cameras, tablets, and various consumer electronics devices. When she's not playing with or writing about the latest gadget, Jennifer loves to spend time with her family, capture memories with her camera, and scrapbook.

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