My thoughts on a Sunday afternoon…
I have the privilege to be able to discuss tech and other stuff with people like +Rob DeMillo, +Dimitry DIM Vleugel, +Harold Kuepers and +Loe Spee. This means that a short conversation about day-to-day topics can end up in an hours full conversation, talking about what is happening in the current tech world but also what is going to happen in the near future. With all the things happening in the Google area, I can't help but think about the following stuff. Just adding here that this is how I would like to see things, derived from things that have happened in the past.
Chrome (OS) and Android
What will be happening in this area? Nobody knows but there are some wild rumors. Just a few weeks ago, Google all of a sudden placed a new statue at their campus; Chrome Andy. But besides some photos, nothing was announced which seems a bit odd. The building where Chrome Andy was placed is near the sculpture garden and is still an Android building but why a Chrome Andy? Will Google try to remove the boundaries between desktop and mobile even further? And if yes, how are they going to do this?
Can we in the near future run Android apps in a different instance in Chrome or even on Chrome OS? That would boost the app count that can be used and run on Chrome (OS). This would for sure delight app developers as they get a whole new eco system at their hands with little to no effort.
Maybe Android will gradually move over into Chrome (OS). Simplifying the whole OS landscape that Google has been developing. Also here, Android apps would then have to be made available in Chrome (OS). Having Chrome (OS) on your legacy Android device would mean that it is more related to FireFox OS where you are running more or less everything within the browser. We have noticed in the past that a browser experience on a mobile device is not always the best and that that is why we are still developing native apps. But who knows.
I can't answer questions on a technical level so I don't know how this will work or what has to be changed. But for sure, the bright people at Google can come up with certain things to make this happen.
Unified messaging
This is a topic I have discuss in length with +Dimitry DIM Vleugel. In more than one occassion, Google employees or spokesperson have mentioned that Google is working on a unified message systems. This would also make sense as now there are several different systems with the Google landscape. None of which connect seamlessly.
To me as a person being connected all the time but constantly switching between difference devices, it is hard to stay available to those people that need to talk to me. How great would it be when all chat instances are equals in the different services. Adding features which are available in certain services but not in others, like file transfer through Google Talk. And even this could seamlessly work when you have for instance Google Drive acting as the storage. But also Voice services which connect to my desktop when I am in the office and my mobile when I am on the road or my voice mail when I have an important meeting.
We all use services like Whatsapp but also Gtalk on your desktop. Every service has its advantages but also negative points. With the wide portfolio of Google services, Google can create an app that could replace all of that. Key is here the availability on other platforms. I like how Apple built the whole iMessage services. But they forgot that a big portion (and it is becoming bigger) doesn't even use iOS and/or Mac OSX devices. Google has the tools (Voice, Gtalk, Hangout, Messenger) but unification is required. Google should use this and can easily dominate the market of unified messaging.
Google and TLDs
Yesterday a letter from Google to ICANN was made public. Google did a bid for multiple TLDs some of which are for their own products but also some more generic like .blog and .book. All this is of course to protect their brand (Google would love to own .android) but also to make it easier for users to register domains. Now also here the whole unified messaging piece comes in handy.
What if, arvidbux.gmail directs you to a webform to email me. What if, arvidbux.blog directs you to my blog and so on. Google can by knowing the type of request and your availability (hi Google Calendar) direct that person to the right channel. I am unavailable for calls? You get an option to send me an email. You just want to check whether I am available tomorrow, either my calendar is displayed or you can send me a text message with Yes/No option. This also perfectly ties together with Google+ and the circles. I can set specific contact options to specific circles. Giving me the tools to manage my life. You already see part of this in the notification structure in Google+ and the ability to use circles in Gmail.
Pixel, What's Next
Why would you release a product on the market which is more or less superior to the OS that is running on it? Why would you do that? Well, take a look at the tag line; What's Next. Something will happen in the next few months (and I do believe during I/O) that will bring you this Next. The Pixel is already prepared for what is coming. Instead of having to get devices out in the open, you reboot the system and within seconds you have the Next.
You don't need a Pixel to run Chrome OS. Yes, it is a beautiful device. I love it. I works like a charm. But for a whole lot less money, you can also already experience Chrome OS. Maybe the device will not be ready for the Next. But who knows.
Google Glass and integration
I have the feeling that no new devices (besides maybe the consumer version of Google Glass) will be announced during Google I/O. The focus will be on integration. Especially with Google Glass, the screen real estate when from a huge monitor to something the size of a stamp. Google Now Cards already display information to you in a perfect way. Non-intrusive. To the point. You want more? You can tap on it and get more information. But in order to get relevant information, integration is key. Without that, things like notifications can become a huge nuisance.
Google I/O is going to be interesting. Very interesting.
Additional links/interesting reads;
Chrome Andy:
- https://plus.google.com/+ArvidBux/posts/7BjdvLkynFA
Interview with +Bradley Horowitz:
- https://plus.google.com/+ArvidBux/posts/PYaoYUjo4iB
Notifications and unified messaging in Chrome OS:
- https://plus.google.com/u/0/100132233764003563318/posts/j2hjXkmx7zw
Google's letter to ICANN:
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/129456330/Google-s-Letter-to-ICANN
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I really hope some steps will come with regard to "unified messaging" , there is a lot that can be improved. And there is an enormous opportunity which apple will never be able to fulfill because their tied to one platform. Facebook is the real competitor they have to beat. However nothing has happend on this subject the last months, so i hope google is holding something back to release shortly.
You sure had your thinking cap on this afternoon +Arvid Bux ;)
_you might want to change ´Google I/O is going to be interes*ted*. Very interesting.
Great read. Thanks Arvid!
This was a great read +Arvid Bux – there are some interesting speculations here.
Btw, I do think you will see a few devices at google I/O – some I can speculate on (a refresh of the nexus 7 is almost certain) and some I cannot…but it won't be devoid of devices.
thanks +Max Huijgen adjusted.
hmm +Arvid Bux don't you think that the Google X phone (maybe tablet too) will be announced at I/O ?
I can daily respond my opinion on the question: will ChromeOS and Android merge.
Answer: Never. The differences are principal (is that english?) (think webapps and server side software), technical (webapps vs local java dalvkVM) and visual (android on your 20" screen? Tablets barely get Apps..).
I love the rest of the speculations though
+Clement Mesnier it is me but I have serious doubts about that. Maybe a refresh of one device but surely not something revolutionary.
+Rob DeMillo maybe a refresh yes. But not something spectacular.
+Riël Notermans fair enough. Still, something is going to happen there. As said maybe in a separate instance. A smaller portion of the screen showing the app.
Why wouold you think that?
ChromeOS and Android also serve completedly different markets. Android was to break the phone market. ChromeOS to attack Microsoft. There is nothing I can think of where adding android would improve ChromeOS in a groundbreaking way.
Most stuff I use on Android has a better web-app anyway.
If Google does indeed plan to let Android apps run in Chrome, the suboptimal performance of the emulator in the Android SDK may suggest a lot of work still has to be done.
+Arvid Bux great thought's and looks like you have thought about it a long time and not only Sunday morning
. What you really mean is that OS is not important anymore, neither is the device. Important will be the content and how you can use it. It doesn't matter what device, it just has to work. In the end we will all be about content and screens. If you walk around in your house a little device (maybe something like a smartphone) know's where you are and depending on what you like to do screens on the wall, your TV screen, a touch screen in your kitchen sink turns on as you pass.
So, it's not the question "if" Android and Chrome will merge, it will! +Riël Notermans say's that there are some technical problems. Google will have to overcome them. There will be no phone market and computer market. Everything has to work seamless together. The winner will beat the phone market and will beat Microsoft and the rest.
Google is ahead when it comes to the content. I think they will be the first to make a serious platform where we can have it all. Meaning that all your device work together at work, home, private but also in your living space with screens and providing the content at time and place you need it on a screen of a format that suits best for that purpose.
For me? I'm a Apple fan and, before anyone says that I'm a Apple Geek, tried many Android device. Because I'm a Apple Fan doesn;t mean I hate Google. I love Google and I use all the Google stuff, but on my iPod, iPad, iPad Mini, iPhone en Macbook Air. It doesn't matter which device I take. It's always up and running at the same point where I left of on an other device. The biggest problem I've now is that Apple and all the other tablets out there, make them "personal". In our house we have 4 iPad's, 1 iPad Mini and 4 iPhone's. Every one has his own iPhone but the iPad's are just every where in the house and every uses the one closest to them as they need. Apple should really make a login screen when you start and I think they will. Because the iPad and other tablets will synchronise with your smartphone as you get close.
I'll never (oeps never say never) get used to Androids interface. It's not for me. The new Google interface at tracks me more. I would like to see this merge in to Android.
It's not only technical, it is different purpose, different device type, different culture, different mindset. And a different reason to exist. What similarity can you bring that would add value to ChromeOS? The longer I think of it, the more I see two systems evolve from another. Not to each other.
It is not that I don't want it. It is Just that I don't see the point.
But I can be wrong.
+Harold Kuepers actually Microsoft has the lead currently on the synergy between mobile and desktop.
Great thoughts for this sunday afternoon
The things you are saying about unified messaging, I can't wait! Shared your thoughts with Twitter as well btw.
+Max Huijgen Did you try Windows 8? I really think that Microsoft is getting a hard time. I tried serval days and it just to hard to understand. I always say: if we geeks can't figure it out….how can. It will take years before companies will switch and then it's to late…..
I use Windows 8 and have a Windows phone. Fairly easy to use I would say. (and yes I have Android phones, tablets and even an iPhone).
What´s hard to understand?
+Clement Mesnier I wouldn't expect any Google X/Motorola phone in 2013. When Google bought Motorola (in May 2013) they inherited an 18 month pipeline with products that were in the planning to be released.
So any new product can only reach the market after that period.
+Arvid Bux what do you think about Google Now? I get the feeling that it will become much broader than 'just' Android 4.1 & 4.2. There are rumours about Now in Chrome and yesterday you could see your search history categorized into topics here: https://www.google.com/now/topics (not working anymore?).
Google Now Topics
http://googlesystem.blogspot.nl/2013/03/google-now-topics.html
+Riël Notermans I am thinking that b/c by unifying that ecosystem will make it easier for people to adept.
The fact that they move away from each other is what they should address. That should not happen. Indeed differences all over the place But for people to life, breath and eat this stuff, they need to make a unified eco system. It has to start somewhere.
+Paolo Amoroso fair enough comment. But as said, I haven't look at the underlying technical implications. But I know for sure they will be able to come up with something on that level (if they would move to this area).
+Harold Kuepers indeed
this didn't just come to me while taking a shower. Next to that, I am normally too busy to sit down and think about it but with my recent travels I can sit for 10 hours in a plane and just think about this. So I guess even though I have a fear of flying this is one positive thing coming out of it 
You know that the most recent Android tablets have the ability to sign-in with a user and thus making the device personal. You have your kids play their games but when you sign in, you only see your music/videos/feeds and apps.
But yes, I do believe that the device will no longer be the central point. You have a device to access content and consume it but there needs to be a unified way on how this is displayed to you. And I see messaging still one of those things that is not unified enough. Email is such a service that works on all devices and is normally quite in-sync but people tend to not see it as a communication channel they use for short message (which is also a good thing). But apps like Whatsapp are too limited to one device. I know for sure and Samsung did that with their messaging client when you make it available on multiple platforms with a sync people will use it. But multiple platforms is key here. Apple iMessage is a great idea but why limit it?
+Rogier van den Berg thanks!
+Robert Rooijakkers indeed. Google Now will be part of this whole integration piece. Parts of it are already seen in Google Glass. These cards are exactly what you need. Limited information, to the point, contextual unified and location based. That is what we need.
+Arvid Bux really, I would like one ecosystem, but I think a lot of people think that would be cool and awesome, but it would bring only a few happy customers. But it will not bring Google where they want to be. Think of it:
ChromeOS and Google, and the Pixel, are meant for one thing: enhance the web, the web is the platform. Building native Android Apps for ChromeOS would hit Google right there, because in fact, why would they ever want native Android Apps? Android competes with Chrome then. Google wants developers to make their applications on the web, and not on Android. Pulling Android inside Chrome would just give extra obstacles to that goal they have. I cannot imagine they would do that. The pixel has a touchscreen, so web-apps can get touch enabled. Not because they want to run android apps on it.
I think, Android was needed to keep Google inside the mobile world. It is a platform they can control. They succeeded, and are part of the mobile landscape. It exists to compete with iOS, and prevent iOS to monopolize the smartphone market.
I would even put more money on the predicion Google will ditch Android and give it to the OEM's/community, and focus only on ChromeOS.
That will be the unified ecosystem.
+Riël Notermans for your last sentence to become true we need a ChromeOS smartphone.
Why? For now I cannot think of many things I want to have better. And FirefoxOS is coming this month, so Google doesn't need to be pioneer there, I guess they love it that Firefox is taking that ball.
Seeing them work together (Mozilla/Chrome) in the high-end webRTC area makes sense
You´re right I didn´t think it through +Riël Notermans Following your thesis every web based OS on mobile would be fine.
However I disagree with your thesis as I can´t imagine Google letting Android and the huge eco-system go.
That was an extreme example :p
ChromeOS and Android will never merge into one OS, different purposes like +Riël Notermans said. But think about the following: A Android smartphone with build in Chrome OS. Plugging your nexus in a docking station and you have a chromebox.