- Google’s Chromebook Plus program is a new categorization for Chrome OS machines that meet certain hardware requirements.
- Supported models will have more robust software, AI capabilities, and more.
- Existing Chromebooks that meet the hardware criteria will retroactively receive support.
Over 12 years ago, Google launched Chrome OS and the first Chromebooks. The company set out to create productivity-focused laptops that were simple, reliable, and ultra-secure. Since then, we’ve seen hundreds of Chromebooks from dozens of companies. Some of these machines are of a low grade to keep things as cheap as possible, while others have been $1,000+ super machines. For 12 years, they’ve all just been Chromebooks.
Today, Google is significantly changing how the Chrome OS ecosystem works. Going forward, there will be two classifications for any Chrome OS device: a normal Chromebook or a Chromebook Plus. Taken at face value, this seems like a boring new way to categorize certain types of Chrome OS machines, but it’s much more than that. The new Plus moniker will not only let consumers know what kind of hardware they are getting but will also give those machines extra capabilities that non-Plus models will not have.