Google has reportedly acknowledged a gap in its hardware lineup, moving into the $899-and-up thin-and-light laptop space. The company is framing these devices as a brand-new category, explicitly pushing back against the idea that they are simply premium Chromebooks.
However, the distinction may be subtle. The source notes that some family resemblance remains, suggesting that the new devices share design or software traits with Google's existing Chromebook offerings. Exactly what separates this new category from a high-end Chromebook is not detailed in the source.
The move signals that Google sees an opportunity in the premium portable market, but the company will need to articulate what makes these devices genuinely distinct.