Google is reportedly working on custom ARM-based chips for Chromebooks

Google wants to differentiate its Chrome OS devices with custom in-house chips.

What you need to know

• A new report claims Google will start using its own chips for its Chrome OS notebooks and tablets from 2023.
• The new chips are apparently based on Arm chip blueprints.
• Google’s current Chrome OS device lineup uses chips from Intel.

Google is working on its own chipsets for Chrome OS tablets and notebooks, according to Nikkei Asia. Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that Google is planning to start using the new chips from around 2023.

Google was apparently “particularly inspired” by Apple’s success in making its own chips for iPhones and Mac computers. It is hoping to differentiate its products with custom chips in the same way that Apple does.

Google’s new chips for Chrome OS devices are said to be based on blueprints from British chip designer Arm. While the search giant has experience building its own silicon for its data center cloud servers, it is hiring talent from Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek to help develop chips for computers and other mobile devices.

As announced by Google last month, its upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones will be powered by an in-house developed Tensor SoC. The chipset, which is likely based on Samsung’s Exynos 2100, is customized to run Google’s computational photography models. It also has a new security core and Titan M2 for “unrivaled” hardware security.

Despite a massive surge in Chromebook sales globally last year, Google still remains a small player in the global PC market.

As per data from IDC, Google shipped less than half a million units of its Pixelbook and Pixel Slate devices. The two year old Pixelbook Go is currently Google’s only answer to the best Chromebooks on the market.

Android Central has reached out to Google for a comment on the report.

Google Pixelbook Go

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If you want to try out new Chrome OS features before everyone else, you should consider getting Google’s Pixelbook Go. The clamshell laptop has a premium design, a great keyboard, and comes with an optional 4K display.