Google’s Chrome OS is a rather versatile operating system. It has been deployed on convertible laptops, laptop-style Chromebooks, and many more devices. Now, it seems Google is experimenting with a new form factor for Chromebooks — dual screen devices.
According to a report from 9to5Google, the Mountain View giant is working on a new device codenamed Palkia. The device is reportedly internally listed as a dual screen device. In fact, a code change on the Chromium Gerrit mentions it explicitly as a dual touchscreen device.
“There are two touch screen controllers on the Palkia device. One is on the lid; another is on the base.” reads the description for a code change.
This could mean a couple of things. One possibility is a device that has a regular touchscreen, and another one on the outside. This sounds interesting. However, according to 9to5Google, the code for Palkia has tablet mode disabled. Yet another guess for what Palkia is can be taken from other laptops with similar designs.
Take in consideration the Asus ZenBook Duo Pro that we showcased on our YouTube channel as well. That device has a regular display and another one above the keyboard. Kind of like a big and actually useful TouchBar.
Obviously, these are all guesses at this point, and we can’t say for certain what Google is planning with Palkia. However, one thing is certain at this moment. The device will not be available to purchase. Code for the device mentions that Palkia is not an OEM device. That means we shouldn’t expect any Chromebook makers to bring this form factor to market. At least not just yet.
