Why the sudden interest in Arm and Linux? According to a recent blog post by Google, the aim is to cater to the “growing demand for a browsing experience that melds the benefits of the open-source Chromium project with Google’s suite of apps and features.” However, this leaves us pondering whether Google is addressing current demand or anticipating future trends.
Linux is indeed gaining popularity. Some editors at The Verge have started moving away from Windows, although with varying degrees of success. This transition primarily involves x86 desktops, and there isn’t much Linux presence on Arm chips for the average consumer, aside from the numerous Android phones, which are Linux-based. While you can purchase laptops with Linux from manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and Framework, these still operate on x86 chips. For non-consumers, Chromium is already available.
However, companies that manufacture Arm processors, such as Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Mediatek, might be considering Linux as they challenge the dominance of Windows, Intel, and AMD. In January, Qualcomm shared that there is “a lot of interest in other operating systems” beyond Windows for its Arm chips designed for PCs. Nvidia is expected to unveil its N1 and N1X processors for Arm laptops, potentially as soon as next week during its GTC 2026 developer conference.
Although Nvidia’s new laptops might initially launch with Windows, it wouldn’t be surprising if they also support Linux once fundamental applications like Chrome are available. Google’s blog specifically mentions Nvidia’s DGX Spark as a target for Chrome—these powerful, $4,000+ micro AI desktops, distributed by numerous partners, run Linux on Arm. Google is integrating Chrome into Nvidia’s package manager to simplify installation, while others will need to visit chrome.com/download when the browser becomes available in the second quarter.
