Google confirmed on the same day its new Googlebook laptops went on sale that Intel-based models may not run some Android apps well. The company had previously highlighted that the Android-based Googlebooks offer access to the entire Play Store library, plus interactions with Android phones and tablets. In a statement to Android Authority, Google acknowledged that although every app is available, some apps may not deliver smooth performance on every Googlebook.
Google said most Android apps run without problems on both Intel and Qualcomm Googlebooks out of the box. The company explained that many Android apps were built for Arm chips, so a small number of complex apps or games require developer tuning to perform at their best on Intel-based platforms. Google said it is working with app developers, Intel, and Qualcomm to keep improving performance and expand compatibility across the lineup.
Google did not disclose how many apps might have performance issues, and it did not name any specific apps that could be affected.
Five Googlebook laptops reached the market today, and three of them run on x86 Intel chips. Those three models come from Acer, Asus, and Lenovo. The remaining two, from Dell and HP, use Qualcomm's Arm-based Snapdragon processors, which should offer greater compatibility with every Android app.
The disclosure puts a limit on the message Google had promoted ahead of launch. Buyers of the Intel versions may have full access to the Play Store library without getting the same performance as buyers of the Qualcomm versions, depending on the app. The difference stems from chip architecture, since Android apps have largely been written for Arm-based hardware and need extra work from developers to run their best on Intel platforms.
The Verge said its team plans to test all five Googlebooks and will report back on the specific issues it finds. The publication noted that Google waited until launch day to address the performance question. The Intel-based Acer, Asus, and Lenovo models are the affected hardware, while the Dell and HP models carry the Snapdragon chips.
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