Web-based giant Google announced last week that it was launching Chrome OS - it's web-based operating system designed to strike at the heart of the Microsoft empire. It will be Linux based and aim to be a robust and lightweight OS that will integrate a variety of online services (like GoogleApps, Docs, GMail etc.) to meet the services offered by Microsoft head-on.
The usp of this product - it will be free!
The funny thing is that free operating systems have been around for years (try Ubuntu for an excellent alternative to Windows). Yet Google's news has generated plenty of ink.
Chrome OS will, in essence be the first true cloud operating system, which is where the bulk of the processing, storage and oomph is provided remotely and our web-based world will be closely integrated directly with our pc, laptop, nettop and mobile phone. Google have long touted this as their ultimate objective with their web browser - in this case their recently launched Chrome browser after which the OS takes its name - at the heart of the whole system.
This product does make a lot of sense as we increasingly spend a lot our pc time on browser-based applications both at work and at play. Apps like GoogleDocs offer the ability to collaborate online on office documents whilst lifestreaming apps like Facebook and Twitter not only reside in the cloud online but integrate nicely with mobile phones and other devices as we send remote tweets and updates. An OS that can integrate all this effectively will have a significant impact, not just on us but on the way pc business works. Obviously Microsoft bases its business model on people paying for its software and services. Google operates differently as it primarily operates on an advertising-based model - Google merely wants to drive traffic to its various web-based services, ensuring maximal value in its ad space and therefore revenue.
Google therefore encourages people to use its services by offering them for free (or really cheap) as compared to Microsoft. Therefore Microsoft are the ones that stand to lose the most here. Obviously the impending launch of Windows 7 will be a massive cash cow for MS as it is highly anticipated and strong beta reviews have whipped up a storm of interest but it might be the last paid-for iteration of Windows.
Either way, it will be good for consumers - competition breeds innovation and in this rare instance it is also delivering massive price cuts...the key issue of concern is if Chrome OS will be any good...if it's not, they are in trouble.
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