Google is about to kill the laptop // Ollie

Here’s a prediction: Google is going to kill the laptop. And the feature that does it is already available on Pixel 8 and later devices, buried in developer settings.

I’ve spent the last couple of days using my Pixel as a desktop computer. Not through some hacky workaround or third-party app, but through Android’s hidden desktop mode. After a morning of writing, emailing, and switching between apps on a portable monitor with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, I’m convinced this is the future of personal computing.

What strikes me is how ready this already is. If someone sat me down and told me it was a Chromebook, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid. I can drag windows around and switch between apps like I would on a laptop. Google Maps, Docs, Slides, Sheets. They all work as you’d expect. Even apps that were never designed for desktop work well. There are quirks, like a floating keyboard bar that doesn’t quite know where to live and a resolution cap at 1080p that makes 4K monitors look rough. But these feel like polish issues, not fundamental problems.

The groundwork is there. ChromeOS is already transitioning to the Android Linux kernel, a multi-year project Google started in 2024. At I/O 2025, they announced ‘connected displays’ as a way to transform Android devices into large-screen workstations. The pieces are moving into place.

The comparison I keep coming back to is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Car manufacturers spent years trying to build infotainment systems before collectively realising they were never going to win the software race. Now most have conceded: plug in your phone, and it becomes the brain of the car. Why fight it? Your phone already has your contacts, your music, your maps, your preferences. The laptop market feels ripe for the same disruption.

Think about what this means practically. When I commute into the office, I carry a laptop. Any laptop, even the lightest, has a size and weight you can’t escape. It takes up space. You know it’s there. With Android’s desktop mode, I’d carry my phone (which I’m carrying anyway) and nothing else. The keyboard, mouse, and monitor would already be at my desk. For travel, you’d need a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, but you’d need those with a laptop anyway if you want a decent setup. The difference is swapping the laptop and its bulky charger for a lightweight portable monitor and a small power supply. The space and weight savings are significant.

Google has every reason to push this hard. The Chromebook isn’t a status symbol; nobody’s queuing up for the latest model. Disrupting that market costs them little. And if they can position the Pixel as a phone that’s also a laptop, that’s a genuine differentiator against Samsung and Apple. And Apple has no motivation to follow. They’ve historically held back the iPad to protect MacBook sales. Cannibalising their own product line isn’t in their playbook. For Google, it’s an open goal.

Everyone is talking about AI. Every company is racing to ship their latest model, and the improvements are starting to blur together. Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini. They’re all converging on similar capabilities. It’s becoming table stakes. A genuine hardware and software play, something that changes how people use their devices rather than just what the devices can answer, could cut through that noise in a way another model update can’t.

My prediction: Google announces this properly at I/O 2026. The feature is already functional enough that the timeline could be aggressive. Resolution support needs work. Some UI elements need homes. But the core experience is there, hidden in plain sight, waiting for its moment. When it arrives, it won’t just be a nice feature for power users. It’ll be a reason to switch.

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