Report: Google Prepping Touch-Screen Chromebooks - PC Magazine

Touch-screen computing, led by iOS and Android, and now Windows 8, has become the most popular interface for leading-edge mobile devices. But increasingly, touch-enabled interfaces are bleeding into the desktop and laptop arena. Now a new report coming from China claims that Google will be the latest company to offer a touch-screen laptop later this year.

The report, published by the Chinese language China Times, and discovered by Taiwan's DigiTimes, claims that the laptops will run Google's Chrome operating system and will feature touch-screen functionality. The report also claims that these devices will be launched under Google's own brand, joining the company's successful Nexus line of mobile devices.

However, such a device would offer a new challenge for the software company, marking a departure from its Chromebook strategy to date. Currently, Chromebooks are generally offered for between $200-$450, a low price point that is not only designed to compel more users to quickly adopt the new devices, but also reflects the laptop's reliance on Google's cloud-centric OS.

Instead of a power-packed laptop full of massive hard drive space, Chromebooks are positioned as devices more suited to those who prefer to store their data (documents, email, etc.) in Google's suite of cloud applications. But despite the low price point, Chromebooks have been slow to catch on, with some reviewers still unconvinced that buying a low-priced laptop with severely limited off-line computing ability is worth the tradeoff.

Nevertheless, adding touch-screen functionality to the normally low-cost Chromebooks could significantly increase the price of the device, and thereby move it up into the ranks of competition with the raft of new Windows 8 touch-screen laptops being introduced into the market. According to the report, Taiwan's Compal will provide internal components for up to 20 million units, set to start shipping sometime toward the end of this year.

For more, see PCMag's reviews of the Samsung Chromebook Series 3 and the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook 550.

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