Google OS running Linux coming this year

VP of Product Management at Google, Sundar Pichai, has just announced Google Chrome OS, which is slated for release later this year. According to the post, consumer products will be available next year.

The operating system is designed for life on the web and will run a Linux kernel with a new interface, and Chrome of course. The code will be open sourced later this year.

The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel.

This is perhaps yet another nail in the Microsoft coffin.

The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, we’re announcing a new project that’s a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. It’s our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be.

Google is targeting both Intel and ARM based netbooks with the operating system, but will work on desktop support also.

Exciting times.