Google Moves To Free The ‘Chrome’ From ChromeOS

For the last couple of years, Google has been working on Lacros (which stands for Linux And ChRome Operating System), which aims to remove the Chrome browser from the umbrella ChromeOS.

Lacros is set to become the default Linux-based Chrome browser on every Chromebook, operating independently from the core OS. This means quicker patches without the need for full OS updates.

Chrome Unboxed first noticed some recent code changes hinting at the imminent release of the standalone Lacros browser on Chromebooks. Previous iterations of ChromeOS allowed users to run the regular Chrome platform and Lacros on a single device. 

However, in the ChromeOS 116 beta, the option to manually enable the standalone Lacros browser was conspicuously absent, signaling that Google is edging closer to completely decoupling Chrome from ChromeOS.

Separating the browser from the operating system is predicted to result in autonomous Chrome updates, leading to quicker and more efficient enhancements. However, there is no need to worry, as the introduction of Lacros is expected to go smoothly, with only minor changes that users may not even notice.

[via Chrome Unboxed and Android Authority, cover photo 246016670© Mikhail Primakov | Dreamstime.com]