Android 5.0 to power your next PC

Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) was a step in the wrong direction for Google. Its hand was forced; Android had to have a tablet-friendly version quickly. With hindsight, Google’s learned its lesson: if rumours are to be believed, Android 5.0 (Jellybean) will be built with the ability to swap from mobile to PC OS at the flick of a switch.

This comes from scarily well-connected industry insider Eldar Murtazin, who claims that Android 5.0 handsets will ape the Motorola Atrix’ skills across the board. Accordingly, you’ll be able to run your Android 5.0 phone as per usual in your hand, but when docked into a lapdock or monitor it’ll switch to a more Chrome-style experience.

This’ll nicely bridge the gap that currently exists between Android 4.0 smartphones and tablet hybrid devices such as the Asus Transformer Prime. It’ll also allow Google to make more use of recent developments like bringing the Chrome browser to Android.

While Motorola’s webtop approach with the Atrix didn’t exactly take off, a platform-wide ecosystem of devices that are all able to switch into ‘Chrome mode’ could really be a boon for Android, not to mention the fact that establishing two distinct working styles will ease fragmentation worries across devices.

With the majority of Android handsets launched this year expected to boast quad-core nerve centres, we expect the PC experience Android 5.0 will offer to be vastly snappier than that of the now aging Atrix. Does this move make sense for Google? Let us know your thoughts below.

Source: Electricpig