Alphabet’s Google has opened pre-orders for Googlebook, a new premium laptop category for Android users built around its Gemini artificial intelligence tools.

Starting at US$899, the initial Googlebook models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo will use Intel or Qualcomm processors and offer up to 14 hours of battery life, Google said.

The launch comes as Apple expands further into lower-priced laptops with its US$699 MacBook Neo, increasing competition in a market where Chromebook makers have traditionally targeted students and budget-conscious consumers.

Googlebook extends the Chromebook formula into the premium segment with more powerful hardware, AI features and tighter integration with Android.

The lineup includes Gemini tools that can help users draft and organise text, ask questions about content displayed on their screens and resume tasks from an Android phone.

Google said Googlebook combines the Android technology stack with desktop foundations from ChromeOS, aiming to make switching between Android phones and computers more seamless.

The launch marks Google’s latest push for a flagship ChromeOS laptop category following its Pixelbook in 2017 and Pixelbook Go in 2019.