Unfortunately, Chrome OS running on Android is only a proof of concept

In an interview, Sameer Samat, President of the Android Ecosystem, and Dave Burke, VP of Engineering for the Android Platform, provided context for Ferrochrome. They explained that the project was born out of Google's ongoing efforts to enhance the security of Android by moving sensitive code from TrustZone, a secure enclave on ARM CPUs, to virtual machines. Android 15's updated virtualization framework, with its support for graphical operating systems and GPU acceleration, provided the perfect opportunity to test this new capability.

Burke stated, "We needed a demo, and what would be really cool? Let's put Chrome OS in there, that would be really funny! Like, could that really work? And it works! But that's as far as it went. It's a tech demo." Samat echoed this sentiment, noting that Ferrochrome was a "really cool challenge" for the team to push the boundaries of the new virtualization technology.

While Ferrochrome may not lead to an immediate integration of Chrome OS on Android devices, it offers a glimpse into the future of Android virtualization and its potential to expand the capabilities of the platform. The project has sparked a lot of interest and discussion within the tech community, with many expressing hope that Google will eventually bring this concept to fruition. For users of the Chrome OS operating system, this has been a long-requested pipe dream, that for a short period of time, seemed attainable.

As Google continues to explore the possibilities of Android virtualization, Ferrochrome serves as a reminder of the company's willingness to experiment with new ideas. Whether or not this specific project ever comes to market, it has certainly sparked a conversation about the future of Android and its potential to evolve in unexpected ways. Let's hope Google reconsiders this "test" and make this dream come true for fans of Android and Chrome OS.