Over the past decade, Google has expanded the Android operating system beyond smartphones to include smartwatches, tablets, TVs, and even cars. Recently, the tech giant announced plans to extend Android’s reach to laptops and PCs, signaling a new chapter for the versatile OS.
Qualcomm has partnered with Google to turn this vision into reality. The chipset manufacturer has now taken significant steps that could soon bring Android-powered laptops to the market, with Samsung potentially leading the charge.
Snapdragon X chips, designed for laptops, are on the verge of running Android 16. User @Jukanlosreve shared screenshots revealing that Qualcomm has added the necessary code to Android 16’s private code list. This update enables the ‘Purwa’ Snapdragon X series system-on-chips (SoCs) to support the Android operating system. Previously, these chips were optimized primarily for Windows 11 on ARM devices.
This development suggests Qualcomm is paving the way for major brands like ASUS, Lenovo, and Samsung to create laptops running Android. For Samsung, this could be a game-changer—finally enabling the company to build laptops that seamlessly integrate with its Galaxy smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets.
Currently, Apple stands alone with a truly unified ecosystem where laptops, phones, smartwatches, and tablets operate on software sharing a common codebase. While Samsung produces Android-based phones, tablets, and smartwatches, its laptops run on either ChromeOS or Windows. These platforms lack the deep integration found in Apple’s ecosystem.
If Samsung launches Android-based laptops, it could close the integration gap and compete more effectively with Apple in terms of user experience and feature richness. However, the success of Android laptops will depend heavily on the optimization of professional-grade apps. Only time will tell whether Android laptops can attract developers and users alike to make them viable alternatives in the laptop market.
https://www.sammobile.com/news/qualcomm-taking-steps-make-samsung-android-laptops-reality/
