Google says some Android apps need extra work to run well on Intel Googlebooks

Here's Google's full statement, as reported by Android Authority and quoted by Engadget:

"The vast majority of Android apps run smoothly across both Intel and Qualcomm Googlebooks right out of the box. Because many Android apps were originally designed for Arm chips, a small handful of complex apps or games need some developer tuning to run their best on Intel-based platforms. We're working hand-in-hand with app developers, Intel, and Qualcomm to continuously optimize performance and expand compatibility across the entire portfolio."

What it didn't say: Google didn't name which apps have problems, or what kind of problems they are, Engadget reports. Google offers a curated group of apps optimized for Googlebooks, but has said Android apps can still be downloaded from the Play Store even without that optimization.

Five Googlebooks launched, and three of them use Intel chips.

Here's the lineup, with launch details from Android Headlines.

Intel models (translation layer):

• Acer Googlebook 14 ($899): the cheapest, and the only convertible 2-in-1, with a 14-inch OLED touchscreen and Intel Core Ultra 3 (Panther Lake). It weighs 2.7 pounds.
• ASUS Googlebook 14 ($1,299): a 14-inch OLED touchscreen, also on Intel's Core Ultra 3, and the lightest at 2.2 pounds.
• Lenovo Googlebook 15 ($1,299): a 15.3-inch OLED touchscreen and up to 1TB of storage. Google calls it the "workhorse," and it's the thickest of the five because of a fan.

Qualcomm Arm models (run Android natively):

• Dell XPS Googlebook ($1,199): a 13-inch 2.5K touchscreen, a Snapdragon X Elite chip and at least 512GB of storage. It's the thinnest of the bunch.
• HP Googlebook 14 ($1,299): a 14-inch OLED touchscreen with a Snapdragon X Elite chip.

All five have at least 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a rated 14 hours of battery life, according to Android Headlines. In Britain, Googlebooks start at £999, The Next Web reports.

Nothing on the box tells you: buyers choosing between the two chip types aren't told which ones run apps natively, The Next Web notes.

It comes down to chip architecture.

Android was built for Arm. Phones use Arm chips, so most Android apps are written for them, The Next Web explains.

Intel uses x86. Intel Googlebooks have to translate Arm code on the fly, using a hardware translation layer. Google has said before that converting and executing Arm code on x86 Chromebooks reduces performance and battery life, Engadget reports. Apps compiled for x86 in the first place don't have the problem, but most Android developers don't compile for it.

What might be affected: HotHardware suggests the Intel models will most likely need tuning for apps and games that use specific chip accelerators, like DSPs or NPUs.

Many apps will be fine: apps built mostly with Kotlin or Java use architecture-neutral libraries, so they have a high chance of working well, Tom's Hardware explains. Trouble is more likely with apps that rely on native components compiled only for Arm. Tools like Intel Bridge and Android's Native Bridge translate that code, but issues can appear unless developers account for x86.

Partly, yes. Chromebooks ran Android apps inside containers. Googlebook runs Android natively, which was meant to remove the old compatibility limits, The Next Web reports.

That holds for the two Arm models. On the three Intel ones, Android apps still go through a translation layer, the same arrangement Chromebooks used, according to The Next Web.

Some reviewers think so. Tom's Hardware notes Google didn't mention these limits before Googlebooks reached store shelves.

"This should've been stated from the jump," Android Central wrote. It added that the upside is Google knows about the problem and is working with the right partners to fix it.

No real tests yet: Engadget says it hasn't tested the machines, and neither has anyone else publicly, according to The Next Web. Real-world results should show how much the gap matters in practice.

Googlebooks are a new category of premium laptops built on Android with desktop foundations from ChromeOS, designed for Gemini and to work closely with Android phones, Google said at launch.

Key features, according to Thurrott's launch coverage:

• Phone integration: your passwords, messages, Wi-Fi networks and phone settings sync after you sign in. Continue On lets you pick up tasks started on your phone, and Cast My Apps shows phone apps in a window.
• Gemini built in: Magic Pointer brings Gemini to your mouse pointer, and you can create widgets by describing them.
• An NPU rated at over 45 TOPS on every model.
• Hardware: at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, up to 2.8K OLED screens, haptic glass trackpads and a "Glowbar" light on the lid.
• Security: up to 10 years of security updates.
• For developers: a Linux environment with full terminal access and Google's Antigravity AI agent platform.

All apps come from the Play Store, Tom's Hardware notes. Each Googlebook comes with 12 months of Google AI Pro, including 5TB of cloud storage.

Why Google built it: Google says most people spend about 70% of their computer time in a browser, so for many of them that's all they need, Android Headlines reports. Googlebook is pitched as a more premium option alongside Chromebooks, with Gemini built in throughout. Wiggle the Magic Pointer, and instead of growing bigger like a Mac cursor, it calls up Gemini to ask about anything on screen.

"You can ask Gemini to organize a messy calendar or translate text without juggling multiple windows. Gemini only acts when you ask it to, and you can switch it off whenever you want," said John Solomon, Google's vice president and general manager for laptops, tablets and Android Enterprise, according to Thurrott.

Another Gemini feature, Rambler, sits next to the Quick Insert key and captures spoken thoughts and structures them automatically, Thurrott reports. Google rates the laptops for up to 14 hours of video playback.

The bigger picture: Googlebooks arrive as Google plans to wind down ChromeOS by 2034.

Pre-orders opened September 21. Googlebooks launched October 4 in the US and October 5 in Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Australia, Android Central and Thurrott report.

• Buying for Android apps or games? Consider the Dell or HP Arm models, which run Android natively.
• Already have an Intel model? Most apps should work fine, Google says. Watch for app updates as developers tune them.
• Wait for reviews: independent tests should reveal which apps actually struggle.