Google’s Android laptops are here, but where’s Samsung?

Google has finally announced prices and release dates for its first Googlebooks. Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are making the first five models — prices start at $899, pre-orders opened on September 21, and retail availability will begin on October 4.

Notice anyone missing from that list?

SamMobile exclusively reported in May that Samsung is developing Galaxy Book laptops powered by Android 17 and One UI 9. That made Google’s launch particularly interesting for us.

We knew Samsung was working on Android laptops, but it isn’t part of the first Googlebook lineup.

Googlebooks are built on Android with desktop features from ChromeOS. They can install Android apps from the Play Store, run a desktop version of Chrome with extensions, and connect to an Android phone to access its apps and files.

Google is also giving these laptops fairly serious hardware. All five launch models have at least 16GB of RAM and use Intel or Qualcomm processors with NPUs rated above 45 TOPS.

They have touchscreens and haptic trackpads, and some models offer OLED displays. Google claims up to 14 hours of battery life.

For now, Samsung hasn’t announced an Android-powered Galaxy Book or given us a launch date. Neither Google nor Samsung has explained why the latter isn’t among the first five partners.

Samsung does like to announce new Galaxy products on its own, so it may be saving the Android Galaxy Books for a separate launch.

We’re curious to see what Samsung adds when its Android Galaxy Books arrive. Google has shown what its laptops can do with an Android phone, now we want to see what One UI and Samsung’s own software bring to the experience.