Samsung "DeXBook" rumored in development, could marry a ChromeBook with Samsung DeX

Samsung is rumored to be developing a hybrid notebook and smartphone dock that combines Chrome OS and Samsung’s DeX interface – a would-be “DexBook”. Previous rumors have suggested Samsung might be working on a dock for its Galaxy smartphones with the devices powering a laptop dock, but this latest rumor suggests the device could also integrate its own Exynos-based SoC, so it could also run as a standalone Chromebook. 

The integration of ChromeOS and Dex could provide users with a unique and seamless experience, allowing them to seamlessly switch between a traditional desktop interface and a mobile-optimized environment. Dex, Samsung's proprietary software, enables a desktop-like experience when the device is connected to an external monitor, while ChromeOS offers a lightweight, web-forward operating system.

Samsung currently allows users to run DeX on Windows laptops via an app, so it is possible Samsung could be thinking of a similar solution for a Chromebook. The utility of this proposition is less clear, however, than it is on Windows laptop. Although Windows now also supports Android apps via the Amazon Appstore, being able to run Android apps from the Google Play Store is a value-add. ChromeOS, however, already offers strong Google Play Android app support.

Samsung is said to be planning on launching the “DeXBook” alongside a new Windows on Arm laptop. Details on it, like the DexBook, are scant at this stage, but it does sound like an interesting proposition if the rumor pans out. Of course, the concept of a DeX-based laptop is not new, with NexDock already offering such a system.

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