Intel, Qualcomm confirm Googlebook AI laptop partnerships, opening ARM and x86 possibilities for new OS — Google VP says devices to also ship with MediaTek chips
Intel’s involvement hints that Googlebook may support both x86 and Arm hardware.
Chipmakers are taking to social media to confirm their partnerships with Google on its newly announced Googlebook laptop lineup.
In a post shared on X, Intel said it is collaborating on the lineup. Meanwhile, over on Instagram, Qualcomm made its own confirmation. Both used similar wording, saying that the laptops will be "powerful" and "premium" "devices designed for Intelligence." (Qualcomm used "built" instead of designed."
The announcements came shortly after Google gave a preview of its upcoming platform at the Android Show: I/O Edition, and confirmed that it is working with various PC manufacturers, including HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, and Lenovo.
During the showcase, Google refrained from discussing the core hardware and instead focused entirely on its brand-new operating system, which combines elements of Android and ChromeOS with deep Gemini Intelligence integration. It was initially assumed that the new Googlebook lineup would be based on Arm SoCs, since many aspects of the platform resemble an Android smartphone or tablet experience. However, with Intel now officially involved, there is a possibility that Google’s new AI-focused OS could also support x86 hardware, unless Intel has an Arm-based chip up its sleeve.
In an exclusive interview with Chrome Unboxed, Google VP John Maletis further confirmed Intel’s involvement in the Googlebook project, revealing that the upcoming notebooks will ship with processors from Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek. According to Maletis, the Googlebook is an entirely new category of premium AI-first laptops that deeply integrate Gemini into the core experience rather than treating AI as an add-on. He also noted that Google is establishing strict hardware standards across memory, storage, keyboards, and overall build quality to ensure every Googlebook delivers a consistent premium experience.
The interview also shed more light on what users can expect when Googlebook devices officially launch later this fall. According to Maletis, the first wave of laptops will focus heavily on premium hardware from its partners, while also bringing back the iconic Glow Bar LED lighting seen on older Chromebook Pixel devices. He additionally confirmed that Googlebook laptops will run native Android applications without emulation, promising significantly better app performance alongside tighter Android smartphone integration and Gemini-powered features such as the new Magic Pointer interface.
Interestingly, the Googlebook partnership comes just a month after Intel and Google announced a separate multi-year agreement focused on next-generation AI cloud infrastructure. Under the deal, Google Cloud will deploy Intel Xeon processors alongside custom IPUs for large-scale AI workloads, suggesting that the relationship between the two companies now extends from cloud AI infrastructure all the way down to consumer AI-focused devices.
Updated May 13, 3:18 PM ET with further confirmation from Qualcomm on its partnership with Google
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Kunal Khullar is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. He is a long time technology journalist and reviewer specializing in PC components and peripherals, and welcomes any and every question around building a PC.
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Notton Was there an expectation that the new OS wouldn't run on x86?Reply
I'm assuming the Googlebook is running the much talked about revamped AluminumOS, instead of the older ChromeOS.
ChromeOS runs on x86 just fine. -
das_stig So just another Linux but with Android compatibility, meh, is what a lot of people just thought, but in reality, if Google don't lockit down to please the OEMs, a lot of ex-W10 hardware may just got a stay of execution and a new OS.Reply -
TerryLaze Reply
Wasn't the whole point of IDM 2.0 that they could mix and match whatever they want?! They can just add their NPU to whatever CPU/sock google wants to use.
However, with Intel now officially involved, there is a possibility that Google’s new AI-focused OS could also support x86 hardware, unless Intel has an Arm-based chip up its sleeve. -
usertests Reply
Commitments by external customers to use Intel Foundry are tepid at best, and they might be aiming to use 14A for chips that are more expensive than budget laptop chips.TerryLaze said:Wasn't the whole point of IDM 2.0 that they could mix and match whatever they want?! They can just add their NPU to whatever CPU/sock google wants to use.
Outlets are suggesting Intel's Wildcat Lake could be used in Googlebooks. But there will be models with Qualcomm and MediaTek chips. WCL's NPU is limited to 15-17 TOPS, which may be less than Google wants.
If you were to buy one simply to replace AluminumOS or whatever they're calling it with a full Linux distribution, you would want x86 inside. -
JRStern Reply
By me, yeah.Notton said:Was there an expectation that the new OS wouldn't run on x86?
I didn't know that, when did that happen? 2009? Oh yeah, maybe. Hmm. Long before Google was selling Pixel phones. Hmm.Notton said:I'm assuming the Googlebook is running the much talked about revamped AluminumOS, instead of the older ChromeOS.
ChromeOS runs on x86 just fine.
So, can I run Microsoft office on my x86 running AluminumOS? Well yeah, it's already cloud and/or subscription based, ...
Dang, I'm so living in the past.
Well, let's see how they go!