Your next PC could be Android and super-powered by Snapdragon

The move towards an Android-powered PC could be getting closer, with details about Android 16 support for Snapdragon X hardware being shared online.

For many years, there has been a discussion about Android and Chrome OS moving closer together. And in recent times, we've seen Android adapting for use on larger screens, while Android tablets have moved towards productivity.

In July 2025, Sameer Samat, president of Android at Google, confirmed that Android and Chrome OS would be moving into a single platform, specifically basing Chrome OS on underlying Android technology.

That was the same message Samat repeated at Snapdragon Summit in September (via 9to5Google), talking about the desire to bring some of the great Android technologies – specifically the AI functions powered by Gemini – to the laptop form factor.

The idea is that you still have the Chrome OS interface, allowing for the familiar desktop working experience that comes from a Chromebook, but with Android under the skin.

With all that context in place, a familiar leaker on X (Twitter) has shared a screen that suggests Android 16 support has been added to the code list for Snapdragon X hardware. That's the hardware that has been used for Windows on ARM devices over the past year.

This could mean that Qualcomm is supporting the development of Android-based devices using that hardware. This would supply plenty of power, more than we've typically seen from Android devices in the past, better positioning them for more demanding productivity functions.

Snapdragon X hardware isn't designed for phones, it's designed for laptops and 2-in-1 devices, like Microsoft Surface.

The advantage that comes to Chrome OS from moving to that Android core includes faster development time, with access to those AI features that are expanding on Android all the time, while also creating a more seamless experience between those Google devices.

At the same time, there's been a slow drip of information suggesting that Snapdragon X Chromebooks are on the way – and it might be that when such a device launched, it's closer to Android to offer a more unified Google experience.