SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Google Inc. is hoping to gain greater control over how personal computers work by developing a free operating system that will attack Microsoft Corp.’s cash cow — its long-dominant Windows franchise.
The new operating system will be based on Google’s 9-month-old Web browser, Chrome. Google intends to rely on help from the community of open-source programmers to develop the Chrome operating system, which is expected to begin running computers in the second half of 2010.
The early versions of the Chrome OS will be tailored for “netbooks,” a breed of low-cost, less-powerful laptop computers that are becoming increasingly popular among budget-conscious consumers primarily interested in surfing the Web.
That is a direct challenge to Microsoft, whose next OS, Windows 7, is being geared for netbooks as well as larger computers.
The vast majority of netbooks already run on Windows, and that is unlikely to change unless Google can demonstrate that the Chrome OS is a significant improvement, said Forrester Research analyst Paul Jackson. He pointed out that many customers have returned the original netbooks that used open-source alternatives to Windows.
“It was not what people expected,” he said. “People wanted Windows because they knew how to use it and knew how applications worked.”
Google struck a confident tone in a blog posting late Tuesday night announcing its OS. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company believes it can streamline the OS to improve speed and reduce security threats.
“We hear a lot from our users, and their message is clear: Computers need to get better,” wrote Sundar Pichai, Google’s vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, Google’s engineering director.
Microsoft hadn’t responded to requests for comment through Wednesday.
The success of the Chrome OS will probably hinge on its acceptance among computer manufacturers that have been loyal Windows customers for years, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst for the research group Directions on Microsoft.
