If users who have chosen Apple's ecosystem have always envied the ability to stop using one device and immediately resume using another, the opportunity to do the same with Google's Chrome OS may be coming soon If a series of new findings are to be believed, it appears that Google is ready to take a page from Apple's Playbook

According to 9to5Google, a recent update to Chrome OS may include a special tool that allows users to resume and continue operating their Android smartphones on their Chromebooks, with the internal name "Android Phone Hub This feature provides "a UI for users to view information about their Android phone and perform phone-side operations within Chrome OS"

If this reminds you of Apple's Handoff feature, it's probably because the description is very similar to what Apple device owners already enjoy with Handoff, a Mac that meets Apple's Continuity system requirements, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch that meet Apple's Continuity system requirements As long as each device is signed into iCloud using the same Apple ID and Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is enabled, you can open a compatible application such as Safari, Mail, or iMessages on one device and use it seamlessly on another

Android Phone

The Android Phone Hub appears to work that way It also appears to be able to mirror notifications from Android devices and allow users to respond using their Chromebooks

But that's not all This feature could even give users the ability to make phone calls, control music, and compose messages using their Android phones from their PCs, much like Microsoft's current "Your Phone" app

Google has yet to comment on 9to5Google's findings, but if this is indeed a feature in the early stages of planning, it is likely not yet available in the near future However, since Chrome OS already has some built-in integration features, such as the ability to access data, messages, etc on an Android phone via a Chromebook, it would make sense for Google to try to further this type of device-to-device connectivity

While the files hidden in Chrome OS show no signs of an imminent release, we do know that Google is working hard to perfect a file transfer system that has much in common with Apple's AirDrop technology nearby Sharing is expected to be as useful as its iOS counterpart and has been publicly available for some time now There is currently no way to monitor or deploy the Android Phone Hub, although users can test that particular feature right now

If changes are indeed underway, Google will reveal possible updates soon