Chrome OS has had Android apps for a while, and as such has Android Nougat running as a subsystem within Chrome OS. Now, Nougat is two years old at this point, and replacing it will be Android 9.0 Pie rather than Android 8.0 Oreo. Android Pie has a lot of improvements and expanded features within its lovely crust for Chromebooks to savor, and while the first Canary channel update for Chromebooks to contain Pie — which is pushing out to Pixelbooks on that channel — has a lot to reveal about just what the Chrome OS team will be taking advantage of, there are a couple changes that are quite noticeable in the new version.

The look of the Settings app on the new Canary channel release — as displayed on Chrome Unboxed — is quite similar to what you'd see on Android tablets or phones and, honestly, has a lot more dead space than before. I'm not thrilled, but hopefully before it comes to Beta or Stable channels, Settings can refine itself to a menu that resembles Android but take advantage of a Chromebook's increased real estate.

The other big change here involves Google Assistant. The search bar at the top of the Chromebook dock has been replaced with a Google Assistant bar, complete with suggested sites and apps below the bar, and when you summon Google Assistant, instead of a window that hides off in a corner, Assistant sits proudly with a wide window front and center on your Chromebook's screen, making Assistant much easier to see, read, and engage.