Google is testing the mysterious Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

Remember Fuchsia OS? It's the mysterious operating system about which we know very little, except that Google is actively developing it and has described it as an "experimental project" that isn't replacing Chrome OS or Android... at least for the time being.

Well, we just learned a something new about it – it's being tested on the Google Pixelbook, the standard bearer for Google's Chromebooks. As Android Police spotted, the laptop has been added to Fuchsia's official documentation on the web, which shows that at least some developers are playing around with it on the Pixelbook.

Chromebooks in general are flexible devices, and it makes sense for Google's flagship computer to be used as a testbed for its next-generation operating system, even if it's not exactly clear what the whole purpose of Fuchsia is at this point.

The future is Fuchsia

Google is keeping its cards close to its chest for the time being as far as Fuchsia is concerned, but from what we've been able to put together it sounds like the OS is being written from the ground up with modern-day hardware in mind.

That means it doesn't have to deal with older, legacy devices and software code in the same way that Android and Chrome OS might have to – and that in turn should result in a leaner, more efficient operating system. We've already seen some indication of what the finished product might look like.

As for whether Google will stick with Fuchsia, nobody knows: the company might decide that the combination of Chrome OS with Android apps, just like on the Pixelbook currently, is enough for users in the future.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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