Google Said To Be Pondering Chrome OS Tablets To Challenge Windows 8.1 Slates

Even with their modest success, the Windows-based tablets sure have got Google thinking. The search engine giant is said to be planning the release of tablets based on its Chrome OS.

Yes, I get what you are thinking — it should not be, but that is how things are shaping up.

The story goes that Google pushed a Chrome OS developer channel update earlier this week. A serious bug was discovered in the update, which led to it being pulled off. But not before some interesting things were unearthed by keen eyes.

Things like the support for screen rotation and UI scaling. Both are very interesting additions considering Chromebooks and even the Chromebox does not have any particular use for these.

The technology titan is said to be bringing screen rotation to Chrome OS, and GigaOm has taken this as a hint that Google may be working on a tablet based on Chrome OS, not unlike Microsoft Surface.

Rumors about tablets based on Chrome OS have been age old, but this new discovery may just add some truth to them. Screen rotation does not really make sense on laptops, anyway.

Who is going to be holding their laptops sideways?

A case could be made for an external monitor that supports rotation, but then again, this is something only a select handful of Chromebook owners will find useful.

Google already has a successful platform in Android, but depending on who is talking that is an operating system more at home on smartphones and phablets — not tablets and convertibles.

Microsoft, it can be said, is just warming up with Windows based tablets. Redmond’s first major upgrade to its new platform is set to unleash a slew of new devices at all screen sizes, form factors and price ranges. Windows 8.1 could potentially change the ballgame and mount a serious challenge.

And Google, it seems, already knows this.

File this as a rumor for now, but we will find out soon enough whether Chrome OS tablets are a reality.