Google’s ‘Desktop Camera’ app could be for Aluminum OS — here’s what it looks like

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Aluminum OS could be here sooner than expected

An image of a Google Android robot
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

We might have just gotten another glimpse at Google’s Aluminum OS. This one is particularly interesting since it’s not a leak, but an official app on the Google Play Store. The app in question is called Desktop Camera. While you can’t yet use it with any device, it’s an intriguing look at what could be the long-rumored combination of Android and ChromeOS.

9to5Google spotted a new listing for a Desktop Camera on the Google Play Store. While the site just found the app over the weekend, the app was apparently quietly released last week. As they note, it's fairly basic and appears to be a camera app designed for large-screen devices like the best monitors. The description is pretty basic, simply saying, “Never miss a moment with the Desktop Camera.”

A potential first glimpse

Google Desktop Camera app screenshot

(Image credit: Google)

While there is an install button, you can’t actually install the app if you try, or at least I wasn't able to. Right now, it says “This app is not available for your device.” I tried installing it on my Windows laptop, but it’s also incompatible with other devices, such as phones and tablets. It’s a useless app at the moment, but as I said up top, it gives us a taste of what AluminumOS might look like.

As 9to5Google notes, the app’s UI looks very similar to ChromeOS. The placement of the app drawer, quick settings, and icons is all where you’d see them on one of the best Chromebooks. This UI differs from the alleged AluminumOS leak we recently covered, suggesting Google is testing several versions of the UI to see which works best for PCs.

Outlook

Right now, you can’t do much with this Desktop Camera other than wonder how it will ultimately function. However, it has over 1,000 downloads, which is notable in itself.

Regardless, this is yet more evidence that Google’s AluminumOS could arrive soon. If and when that happens, we’ll be the first to let you know. Stay tuned for more!

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Tony Polanco
Tony Polanco
Senior Computing Writer

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.

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