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A curios Reddit user discovered a few tasty morsels in the latest version of the Chrome OS Canary channel. At first glance, it looks like a simple refresh of a handful of Chromebook icons. Upon further inspection, we discovered some new iconography that is prepping Chrome OS for some exciting new features that we have been tracking for a few months.
The first set of icons already exist in Chrome OS but they are getting a refreshed look. As you can see below, the Wallpaper picker, Keyboard shortcuts, Settings, and Files App icons all have a new look. All but the Wallpaper picker has updated in the latest version of Chrome OS Canary. This not only builds on Google’s Material Design 2.0 but presumably is part of the redesign that will come along with the rumored Light and Dark themes headed to Chrome OS.
Keyboard shortcuts 
Chrome OS settings 
Files App 
Wallpaper picker
Check out these side-by-side images of the current and updated icon images in Chrome OS. The changes aren’t exactly subtle but they look good in my opinion. The updated icons keep their basic imagery but look much more modern and that’s a great thing for a modern operating system.
The other new icons headed to Chrome OS revolve around some services that we are very excited about and I’m sure that many of you are as well. Earlier this year, Google announced its partnership with industry-leader Parallels. This union will use Plugin VM technology similar to Crostini to bring Windows to Chrome OS via the Parallels platform. On the fun side of things, the Borealis icon has been unearthed as well. Borealis is another VM that will allow Valve to bring Steam to Chrome OS in some shape, form, or fashion. We’ve been tracking Borealis for quite some time and I expect it to go live in Canary very soon. This will be what I presume is the icon that will launch the service and Steam will live inside this VM.
Borealis icon 
Parallels icon
The new and revamped icons are really minor changes in the grand scheme of things. However, they represent the unfolding of much larger projects in the Chrome OS ecosystem. Dark and Light themes, Windows applications, and Steam gaming are just a handful of numerous changes headed down the pike over the next few months. Chromebooks have come a long way but I bet dimes to dollars we’ve just scratched the surface of the platform’s potential.
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Source: Chrome OS Canary, Reddit
