Google has been expected to announce an operating system for almost as long as it's been in business, but it has taken us off guard now that it has.

Essentially Chrome OS will be a super-lightweight, open-source, web-orientated operating system completely separate from the Android ecosystem.

Chrome OS will run on both x86 and ARM architecture, and is targeted at the netbook arena.

Google say they're working with multiple OEMs to get devices powered with Chrome OS into the market at some point next year, and they'll announce more details on the operating system at some point in the autumn.

[Official Google Blog]