Google is working on its Aluminum OS, which is set to combine Android and Chrome OS into a new platform for PCs. Android and Chrome OS had already sort of merged, since you can run Android apps on your Chromebook and other Chrome OS devices, but Aluminum OS is going to take things a step further.
Now, we’re seeing some more tidbits of this Aluminum OS in the wild, thanks to Android Authority, which found a Google Play listing for a “Desktop Camera” . This is described as a “Camera app for desktop. Never miss a moment with the Desktop Camera.” It essentially looks like a Pixel camera app for Aluminum OS.
The Play Store listing shows us the Camera UI
Google has uploaded a few screenshots of the app to the Play Store, but they are ery much blurred out, likely to keep from exposing other secrets. But we have a floating menu on the left side, with the shutter on the right and a toggle for photos and video on the lower right corner. So it’s essentially taking up the entire screen of whatever device you’re using this on. This is different from other camera apps on other desktop platforms, like macOS and Windows, where it basically just uses a smaller window.
This is likely an older build that is appearing in the Play Store, or at least the screenshots are older. As Android Authority points out, the interface for the taskbar is older. It’s not using Material Expressive, and the start button is still in the left-hand corner.
When is Aluminum OS set to launch? Initially, it was set to launch this year, which means we should be getting close to a product launch. Most likely, launching at or around Google I/O, which is typically the second week of May.
