Are Google and Lenovo teaming up to make the ultimate Chromebook?

New Pixelbook incoming?

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GoogleandLenovocould be working on an exciting new Chromebook – at least that’s what new rumors are suggesting.

While Google is primarily a software company, it’s also made some of thebest Chromebooksever. ThePixelbookandPixelbook Goare examples of just how good these Chrome OS-powered laptops can be, so many people have been eagerly awaiting the company’s next release.

It’s been a long wait – the Pixelbook Go launched back in 2019, and while it still remains one of our favorite Chromebooks, it’s also well overdue a successor.

Lenovo is also behind some brilliant Chromebooks as well, including the fantasticLenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, so the idea that it may work with Google on a new Chromebook is certainly exciting.

What’s the evidence?

So, where are these rumors coming from?Chrome Unboxed has done some diggingand found references in the Chromium Gerrit (which lists what people are working on in Chrome and Chrome OS) to a device known as ‘Lindar’.

What’s interesting is that references to Lindar mention lightbar support. This would be a strip of lights that shows a different color when the lid is closed depending on the battery level.

This feature was last seen on Google’s premium Pixelbook Chromebook back in 2015. The lightbar was also included on thePixel C tablet, and an animated version of it displays when you use Google Assistant on a smartphone.

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It’s closely associated with Google – especially premium devices – which suggests Lindar could be a high-end Google product.

As Chrome Unboxed points out, there’s also suggestions that Lindar will be based on the ‘Volteer’ baseboard, which means it will use the latestIntel Tiger Lakeprocessors, again pointing at a powerful Chromebook device.

So, what about Lenovo’s involvement? In the Lindar commits, there are emails from the “@lcfc.corp-partner.google.com” domain. LCFC Electronics works closely with Lenovo to provide parts for its devices, so Chrome Unboxed has looked to see if LCFC makes products for anyone other than Lenovo – and it appears not.

If the Lindar Chromebook is being made by LCFC Electronics, there’s a good chance it will be for Lenovo.

While the evidence is a bit thin at the moment – and remember this is all supposition until we hear anything official – it’s not beyond the realms of believability.

Google has teamed up with various manufacturers in the past for its Nexus lineup of phones and tablets, which are branded as Google devices.

Google has also worked closely withHPto create theHP Chromebook 11, which really felt like a collaborative effort – it even had the same lightbar as the Pixelbook.

We’d love Google to get more involved with Chromebook hardware again, considering how good its previous attempts were, so hopefully we’ll hear more about this mystery Lindar device soon.

Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he’s reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.

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