Beyond the Pocket: Android - Future of Computing

Software
#1

Hi everyone, good day !đŸ« 

it seems to be very interesting - Google’s vision to extend Android to ‘any form factor’ – PCs, tablets, foldables, and even devices we haven’t seen yet – is one of the most ambitious platform strategies in tech today. It challenges the long-standing dominance of Windows, macOS, and even ChromeOS in certain spaces.

But what does this really mean? i for on can hardly imagine that Googles vision will come true - i think its too challeinging. there are many pitfalls on the way:

· The Unified Ecosystem: A single, seamless experience from the phone to the desktop: hmmm - well is this the holy grail of user convenience?
· Opportunity for developer: Could this finally solve the app gap that has plagued other desktop Linux distros and even ChromeOS?

the vision: well - hmm gone are (then) the days of Fragmentation Challenge: Is this a strength (diversity) or a weakness (chaos)?

The question (at least to me) is: How does Google avoid the pitfalls of phone-scale fragmentation on a much larger canvas?

What do you think: Who wins and who loses? Is this an existential threat to Microsoft, or is the PC market too entrenched?

Look forward to hear from you - what are your ideas!?

greetings :star_struck:

#2

This sounds similar to Microsoft’s OneCore initiative, which hasn’t worked out as well as they had hoped. Unless I’m missing something important, I see little reason to assume it will work out better for Google. Then again, maybe Google has learned from Microsoft’s missteps and will approach it differently.

One difference is that Microsoft was trying to scale down Windows to work on mobile devices, while Google is trying to scale up Android to the desktop. Whether this makes any difference, I don’t know. I suspect both lead to the same place.

I can see why Microsoft was interested in OneCore, as they wanted a piece of the mobile market. The same is true for Google, which wants a bigger role in laptops and desktop machines. Additionally, consolidating each company’s OS to run on nearly every device would reduce development costs.

Everything considered, I think it’s impractical. The computing requirements and the UX environment between what I keep in my pocket and the machine on my desktop are too different to make a viable universal OS. Perhaps a universal OS core could be developed, with device-specific code layered on top, which might work.

As you suggested, I doubt anything could dislodge Microsoft from PCs. Others have tried and failed for decades, despite arguably having better operating systems. Anyway, the entire ecosystem built around Windows is so deeply and expensively ingrained that few would consider switching unless Microsoft collapses into idiocy or another company develops something vastly superior. I don’t see Android as being that OS.

Of course, what do I know? I’m a designer, not someone with the collective brainpower of Google. Besides, I prefer Macintosh and iOS, so it doesn’t matter much to me. :wink:

1 Like
#3

good day dear Just-B,

thank you very much for the reply.

Great points,— the OneCore comparison is spot on. Microsoft tried to shrink Windows down, while Google is trying to stretch Android up. Maybe both directions run into the same wall: phones and desktops are just too different in how people use them.

That said, I do wonder about the generational shift. For younger users who grew up on Android, iOS, and Chromebooks, “desktop Android” wouldn’t feel alien — it might just feel like a natural extension of what they already know


Just-B, i like your idea of a universal core with device-specific layers — that feels more realistic than one pure OS everywhere. The big question is whether developers will truly buy in and optimize for Android on desktop, or if it’ll just stay a blown-up phone experience.

And well maybe Google’s real play isn’t to topple Windows in the West, but to grow upward in emerging markets where Android already dominates on mobile.

Greetings paris-to-saintMalo :smiley:

#4

Samsung has actually been doing something along these lines for a while now with their ecosystem. For example, with Samsung DeX, you can project your phone to a TV or a monitor, control multiple devices from one keyboard and mouse, drag and drop files between them, and generally blur the line between phone and desktop.

Microsoft also has some steps in this direction, like Windows integration with Android phones via the “Your Phone” app, letting you access texts, notifications, and even run certain apps from your PC.

The tricky part for Google is that doing this natively across all Android devices is a much bigger challenge. Phones, tablets, foldables, Chromebooks, and who knows what else all running the same seamless interface – is a huge technical and UX task. Unlike Samsung, which can control the hardware and software tightly, Google is playing with a massive, diverse ecosystem.

So the real question is whether Google can really solve fragmentation at scale. Even if they manage, the PC market is deeply entrenched, and Microsoft, macOS, and even ChromeOS already have loyal users. I think the winners might be users who want flexibility across devices, but it’s less clear who loses maybe some of the smaller OEMs or software platforms that can’t keep up with a unified Android experience.

Computing is moving away from a single device form factor. Phones, tablets, PCs, foldables, and wearables are just the start. Google’s vision of Android on any device is part of this trend. Expect devices that are context-aware your laptop, phone, and smart screen working seamlessly, shifting the interface and power where you need it.

The heavy lifting is moving to the cloud and edge servers. Your device won’t need to be insanely powerful locally; it’ll stream processing from nearby servers. This will let even lightweight devices run complex AI, 3D rendering, or real-time simulations.

AI is becoming the default assistant, co-creator, and optimiser. Think intelligent coding, image and video generation, predictive interfaces, and deeply personalised workflows. Devices will anticipate what you need before you even ask.

AR and VR are slowly maturing. Instead of “screens,” we’ll interact with layered realities, whether for work, collaboration, or entertainment. Mixed reality could replace laptops in some scenarios entirely.

5G, soon 6G, Wi-Fi evolution, and mesh networks mean devices everywhere are connected and synchronised. Computing isn’t tied to a location; it’s fluid, distributed, and persistent.

For specialised tasks cryptography, simulations, materials science quantum and neuromorphic computing may redefine what’s even possible. For regular users, this will translate to faster, smarter applications without needing to understand the tech behind it.

Future computing isn’t just about speed. Power-efficient chips, reusable hardware, and cloud-based optimisation will matter as energy consumption becomes critical.

My own vision - an AI that grows with you.

I just want a mobile device that is connected to AI and learns my habits.

If you’re ever seen Mrs. Davis then I suggest watching it - it’s a great show. It’s a bit over the top in terms of how it’s there - but it’s close to how I would want it.

Timetables, maps, traffic updates, news, sports, whatever you ask for it learns and grows and knows your habits, sets alarms - wanna book flights for a holiday just say ‘Book flights to Las Vegas’ and presented with options and can book on your behalf. Present tickets at gates etc.

Only downside, what if it breaks? Then I would say you’d have a backup smaller version that you switch on in event of emergency loss or breakage, and it works the same way, once on it places the order for the parent device and arranges delivery to the location where you will be.

I think AI will drive the next gen - apps will be a thing of the past. Or at least the downloadable, the APIs and backend would still function.

2 Likes
#5

good day - thank you for the reply :ok_hand:

great stuff, @Smurf — love how you pulled this into the bigger picture. You’re right: DeX and “Your Phone” hint at what’s possible, but doing it across all Android devices feels like the real fragmentation challenge for Google.

I also like your take on AI as the real game-changer. If devices just become thin clients for cloud + AI, maybe the real question isn’t “Android vs Windows” at all, but which AI ecosystem people trust to run their lives.

The risk though: what happens when it breaks, or when users don’t fully trust it? Convenience only wins if people feel in control. Do you think folks are ready to hand over that much to AI, or will there be pushback?

greetings. :smiley:

#6

I’d do it tomorrow if it was available.

Device/multiple devices. Raspberry PI style, small with good display. Cloud based.

“Put on the Liverpool Match” and it links my Sky Sports account and starts streaming.

"Send a message to 
 " or “Call
”

“Show me directions to the event” - probably woudn’t need to. I’d say to the AI “Book that event in February next year” - then it finds hotel at best rate, transport options, places to eat/book/go for drinks after. Coming up to the event it would manage where I am, how I get there, if I still want the hotel, amI going to eat before or after. What’s my budget for the evening. Could even be done at booking - set a budget of 200 quid for the day - and it saves the budget in the background.

Yes, I want it linked to my bank. Manage my income, expenses, pay my bills, budget the money, create savings, start an investment portfolio, save for retirement.

All cloud based - AI driven.

The technology is already here.

1 Like
#7

Be careful what you wish for.

In addition, there’s a new podcast series: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-last-invention-6216012

2 Likes