A number of high-profile technology firms are working with Google to develop its recently announced Chrome operating system, which the search giant says will be free.
In an official blog post, Google reveals that a number of large companies are helping it develop the OS, which is based on Google’s Chrome web browser, for release with a range of netbooks in the latter half of 2010. PC manufacturers Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Hewlett Packard (HP) and Toshiba are all on board, according to Google, as are chipmakers Qualcomm, Freescale and Texas Instruments. Software developer Adobe, which makes the Flash platform, is also involved in the development process.
Acer, HP and Asus have extensive experience building netbooks and all three have sold models of the mini-notebooks that run operating systems based on Linux. Google is planning to use the open-source Linux OS as a foundation for its own software.
Qualcomm, Freescale and Texas Instruments will provide mobile connection expertise – a key draw for many netbook buyers. These companies are likely to help the search giant optimise its OS for their chips. Adobe’s Flash powers the majority of online videos, including those on Google-owned YouTube. It is also the primary competitor to Microsoft’s Silverlight platform.
Google’s decision to offer the Chrome OS for free raises questions about what the company expects to get in return for entering the resource-intensive OS business. Yankee Group senior analyst Joshua Martin says Google is aiming for ad money.
?It’s all about eyeballs,? says Martin. ?Google has done a very good job of generating advertising revenue and this will further that ability for them because they’ll know what’s happening on the entire PC, which will give them a more robust operating platform.?
?Plus part of it is the desire to attack Microsoft where they live,? he says.
Microsoft has seen some success fighting the trend for netbook makers to use Linux variations such as Ubuntu. However, a free OS with the considerable backing of Google might pose an even greater threat, especially in the netbook market where software savings have a significant impact on sale price and Google’s web-focused OS may gain more traction.
However, Martin says the news about new OS partners is unlikely to alarm Microsoft. ?I don’t think Microsoft’s any more scared today as a result of the partnerships than they were yesterday,? says Martin.
He says he would be surprised if Google had not launched with the major players in the netbook market, especially considering their experience with Linux-based systems. He says partnerships with mobile chipmakers were also to be expected, given Google’s focus on cloud computing services such as its Gmail email client.
StrategyEye's related categories: PCs
StrategyEye's related companies: Lenovo, ASUSTek Computer Inc., Adobe Systems Inc., HP, Texas Instruments, QUALCOMM, Freescale Semiconductor, Google, Acer, Toshiba Corporation
