Google expects to release its new Chrome operating system in late autumn, according to Sundar Pichai, head of the Chrome project, speaking to reporters at the Computex PC show in Taipei.
Although the operating system faces a major challenge to dent the market share of Microsoft's Windows, the Chrome OS has a number of features that set it apart.
Because the operating system will be open source, tech companies and manufacturers will be able to develop their own versions based on a basic skeleton provided by Google.
Unlike Windows, the Chrome OS will also be centred around the web browser. All software, including word processing and photo and video editing will be hosted externally, in 'the cloud'.
"Chrome OS is one of the few future operating systems for which there are already millions of applications that work," said Pichai, referring to the increasing number of online and cloud-based services available.
If Chrome proves to be popular it will be good news for online marketing experts as it means that almost the entire computing experience will be conducted online. Cloud services also offer the chance for more free ad-based services to become available to a wider audience.
