In a private demo, Google showed ChromeOS on a Pixel 8. When you connect the smartphone to a monitor, ChromeOS starts instead of Android.

Google today has two operating systems: ChromeOS for desktop environments and Android for mobile applications, televisions and in cars. According to Android Authority, the search giant has now shown a demo behind closed doors that turns a Pixel 8 smartphone into a ChromeOS device.

The demo includes a wired connection to a USB-C compatible monitor as well as a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. The Pixel 8 then functions as a mini PC with ChromeOS as the operating system.

This is made possible by a special version of ChromeOS in a virtual machine within the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF). The latter was introduced in Android 13 last year.

AVF provides a secure and private executable environment for highly sensitive code. When Android 13 launched, AVF served as a light version of an isolated virtual machine. But developers could do a lot more with the new function. So shared Danny Lin on X a way to run Windows 11 on Android 13 via AVF.

Aside from a private demo, Google isn’t saying anything about whether ChromeOS will eventually be integrated into its Pixel phones and other manufacturers’ Android phones. In the demo it seems possible to wait and see whether Google wants to take a stand against Samsung DeX, among other things.