Get ready to flex this summer: ChromeOS Flex is now ready to scale broadly to PCs and Macs

Summer’s here, and it’s time to sit back, relax, and soak up some sun. While others might be bulking up on the beach or showing off their swimming skills, we’ve got the best way you can flex, no matter where you are. 

Today, we’re excited to announce that ChromeOS Flex, the cloud-first, easy-to-manage, and fast operating system for PCs and Macs, is now ready for your fleet. Just like too much sun, software bloat, clunky hardware, and security vulnerabilities can cause unwanted damage. Thankfully, ChromeOS Flex is just the sunscreen your legacy devices need. And thanks to everyone who has participated in our early access program, we’ve been able to significantly improve the product in many areas while continuously certifying devices to run ChromeOS Flex. You can now experience modern computing at scale with:

• Proactive security: ChromeOS Flex provides much needed protection from growing threats, including ransomware, malware, and employee errors.
  
• Fast deployment & easy management: ChromeOS Flex can be rapidly deployed via USB or through your company network. With Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, you can manage apps and policies from anywhere, even the beach.
  
• Fast, modern work experiences: Devices don’t slow down over time. Background updates reduce device downtime and improve productivity, so you can spend extra time relaxing.
  
• Sustainable for your business and planet: Breathe new life into existing hardware to reduce e-waste, energy consumption, and maintain clear blue skies.
  

Better for your business - and the beach - with 19% less power consumption

While we all should be enjoying the summer heat, it’s also a reminder that we need to take care of our planet. By installing ChromeOS Flex on your existing hardware, you’re not only getting a great experience, you’re also contributing to an important cause. Worldwide, 40 million tons of e-waste is generated every year – that’s like throwing away 800 laptops per second. Upgrading devices to ChromeOS Flex rather than replacing them altogether is an impactful way to reduce waste and prevent this growing problem. And if you really need the fans running to stay cool, you can feel better knowing that devices that run ChromeOS Flex consume 19% less energy on average¹ than other devices.

ChromeOS Flex helps businesses when it matters most

When a ransomware attack shut down operations, Nordic Choice Hotels chose ChromeOS Flex to quickly replace the OS on compromised devices and get them back online. ChromeOS Flex enabled Nordic Choice Hotels to turn a disaster into an upgrade. With a one-page guide and a USB drive, employees across 200 Nordic Choice hotels in Scandinavia were able to convert 2,000 computers in under 48 hours, protecting their business from a costly shutdown. And by switching to ChromeOS Flex, Nordic Choice Hotels will save up to 1.5 million kilos of CO2 over the next eight years - the equivalent of what 2,000 acres of mature forest would save. It may have taken only a few days to save their business, but the positive environmental effects of ChromeOS Flex will last for years to come.

By the way, if you’re affected by ransomware, you don’t have to face it alone. Cameyo, a Chrome Enterprise Recommended partner, has introduced a rapid recovery program that affords organizations with business continuity by utilizing ChromeOS Flex and Cameyo to access business-critical Windows apps

A ChromeOS Flex device for every occasion

To make sure ChromeOS Flex is ready to work from the get-go, we test and certify a broad range of models to ensure they provide a consistent and high-quality experience. So whether you’re teaching a classroom of eager-to-learn students, ordering ice cream from a self-service kiosk, or accessing a virtualized environment from the beach, ChromeOS Flex won’t slow down, give you headaches, or surprise you with a blue screen of death. And from our early access program to now, we’re excited to share that we’ve certified over 400 devices. We’re working on more certifications every day, and even if your device isn’t yet certified, you can still try ChromeOS Flex!

With your devices running ChromeOS Flex and ready to go, you may also want a solution to easily manage them. You can enroll your devices with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade and manage them side by side with any existing Chromebooks in the Google Admin console. There’s even a 30-day free trial you can take advantage of today. 

Get started with no commitment

Trying ChromeOS Flex couldn’t be easier. All you need is a USB drive to install ChromeOS Flex on your device, or simply boot and run from the USB to try it out before deciding to install it on your device! When you’re ready, you can install ChromeOS Flex and deploy it across your organization via USB or through your corporate network.

To experience modern computing, extend the lifespan of your devices, and simply add some more sunshine into your life, install ChromeOS Flex today.

_{1. Sutton-Parker, J. (2022), ‘Quantifying greenhouse gas abatement delivered by alternative computer operating system displacement strategies’. 1877-0509. Procedia Computer Science. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Science Direct, Elsevier B.V.}