Google Exec Sameer Samat Confirms ChromeOS Will Be Combined With Android

Google is bringing its Android and ChromeOS teams closer together—this time, through a formal leadership restructure. Sameer Samat, who currently heads Android’s ecosystem, will now also oversee ChromeOS, marking a quiet shift in how Google manages its two major operating systems.

This isn’t a merger of platforms. Both Android and ChromeOS will remain separate products with their own timelines, user bases, and form factors. But the change in leadership indicates that Google is looking to streamline how it develops features, services, and experiences across both platforms. Samat confirmed the integration, through an interview with TechRadar.

Previously, ChromeOS was under the leadership of Hiroshi Lockheimer, a longtime Google executive who has been instrumental in shaping both Android and ChromeOS. With the transition, Lockheimer is stepping away from his direct role with ChromeOS, and Samat will lead a more consolidated Platforms and Ecosystems team. The Android team has already been operating under this umbrella, and now ChromeOS will join it.

For users, this shift could translate into better cross-device integration, consistent design patterns, and possibly shared infrastructure work behind the scenes. Developers may also see more alignment in tools and APIs across both platforms, although no immediate changes have been announced on that front.

Google has previously explored deeper ties between Android and ChromeOS — such as running Android apps on Chromebooks — but the two teams have often functioned independently. By placing them under the same leadership, Google seems to be nudging them toward a longer-term alignment.

Importantly, the company has clarified that ChromeOS isn’t being folded into Android or vice versa. The distinction matters. Android remains dominant in mobile, while ChromeOS has carved out its own niche in education and budget computing. Keeping them distinct while encouraging tighter coordination could help Google build a more coherent ecosystem without disrupting what already works.

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