AMD to Support PCs that Run Android, Chrome

At the Computex show, AMD said that it will continue to support Windows, but it also might support other operating systems. Specifically, it might produce processors for low-end tablets and notebooks that run Google’s Android or Chrome operating systems.

PCWorld’s Agam Shah broke the story, reporting, “After years of Windows OS exclusivity, Advanced Micro Devices is opening the door to design chips to run Google’s Android and Chrome OS in PCs and tablets. AMD is expanding OS options as it designs chips based on x86 and ARM architecture, which run multiple OSes, said Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager of global business units at AMD, in an interview at the Computex trade show in Taiwan.”

eWeek quoted Su, who said, “We are very committed to Windows 8; we think it’s a great operating system, but we also see a market for Android and Chrome developing as well.”

Ars Technica’s Andrew Cunningham observed, “Su didn’t give a timeframe for when either Chrome OS or Android versions compatible with AMD chips would be available. However, the company did recently announce some low-voltage APUs (codenamed Temash) with TDPs of as little as 3.9 watts that could easily fit into this type of device. Those chips will supposedly be shipping soon, if they aren’t already.”

Maximum PC’s Paul Lilly commented, “Never has the future of Microsoft looked as uncertain as it does right now. Not only are PC sales down, but Windows 8 is such a drastic change over previous versions, it has OEMs and hardware makers looking at supporting alternative platforms. That includes AMD, which revealed at Computex that it’s suddenly interested in developing hardware for Google’s open source Android and Chrome OS platforms.”