Chromebook ‘Alt OS’ code hints at ability to dual-boot Windows

Chromebooks are awesome. But they’re also limited. For many people, it’s impractical to only own a Chromebook, because sooner or later they’ll have run a full-fledged Windows app.

That may someday be a thing of the past. As spotted by sleuthing redditor u/-nbsp- , it Google might be considering an feature that would allow you to boot into Windows on the Pixelbook. References to ‘Alt OS’ within a recent Chrome OS build suggest Google is working on some sort of a boot screen that will allow you to choose which OS to launch. Another line reading “go/vboot-windows” suggests it’s intended for Microsoft’s OS.

None of this is concrete evidence this feature is actually on the way – developers test features and put in strange strings of code all the time. The original Reddit post suggests it might simply be an easier way for developers to test Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook.

Still, the references to Windows are interesting. It might seem weird for Google to allow you to boot into a different OS on Chromebooks, but devices like the Pixelbook are certainly powerful enough. If even Apple, the ultimate walled garden, can do it , why not Google?

We’ve contacted Google for more information, and will update this post if we hear back, but don’t get your hopes up – the company is unlikely to comment on such speculative information.

Via XDA Developers

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