Google to launch Android-based notebook in Q3 2013, says report

While Google’s Android OS has been a runaway success, the same cannot be said of the other operating system that the search giant has been developing Even though it has been in the PC industry for almost three years with its Chrome OS-running Chromebooks, Google has struggled to make a deep dent in the market.

However, the latest report from Digitimes, who have a decent track record on pre-released hardware information, says that Google is readying a series of (or at the very least one) Android notebooks, which we could see at the end of the year. The notebooks will run a version of Android that is more suited for more intense activities and brings productivity suites that befit a PC. Google’s Android-based notebooks (or Androidbooks, as the report calls it) may show up in stores at the end of the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter.

Could we see an Android notebook later this year?

Despite the possibility of an Android notebook, it must be noted that Chromebooks are slowly beginning to gain traction and Google even made an entry into manufacture of PC hardware with the Chromebook Pixel, which has generally received great reviews for hardware and design but has been criticised for being an over-priced browser.

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Google’s decision to have Sundar Pichai, head of the Chrome team, also lead Android development is expected to accentuate the company’s influence in the PC industry and could help Google make great strides in the market. But till now, it was always thought that Chrome OS and Android will be co-opted to bring one full-fledged OS for both mobile and PC environments.

The report further says that Google is preparing to up the production rate of its own Chromebook Pixel and has an optimistic view of the volume of sales of Chromebooks by other manufacturers. Even though shipments of Chromebooks are small as compared to PCs running OS X and Windows, it will surpass one million units in 2013 due to more promotions.

As for the “Androidbook”, it might just be a slightly modified version of the Chromebook Pixel. We hope Google retains almost everything from the Chromebook, including the stunning high-res display and the fast Intel processor. The one thing we would like to see changed in the Androidbook is the price, of course. Starting at $1,299 (approx Rs 65,000), the Pixel is not a very reasonable proposition. However, if the rumour turns out to be true and Google manages to wrangle a price tag under $1,000, we could very well see an army of Android notebooks.