Android’s new boss hinted of an eventual merger of Chrome Android but said the two will remain separate “for the short term,” in an interview posted prior to I/O’s opening keynote on dnesday.

The comments by ’s Sundar chai with red marked his first interview since taking over as head of Android from Rubin. chai was previously head of the Chrome division moved to assume control of both Chrome Android in h.

This year’s I/O developer conference includes more than 80 breakout sessions on Android Chrome ( Apps) over three days, but presentations are also scheduled on Glass, llet, YouTube, Cloud, Maps other topics.

Read our preview of what to expect at I/O 2013

Analysts have assumed chai’s dual responsibilities would lead to some kind of merger of the functions of the Android OS Chrome OS, chai attempted to clarify those expectations in the interview: “ embrace both [Android Chrome], we are continuing to invest in both. So in the short run, nothing changes…The picture may look different a year or two from now, but in the short term, we have Android we have Chrome we are not changing course.”

Still, in answer to a follow-up question, chai indicated more synergism between Android Chrome may be coming. “ want to do the right things at each stage, for users developers. are trying to find commonalities. On the browser layer, we share a lot of stuff. will increasingly do more things like that. And maybe there’s a more synergistic answer down the line.”

chai’s comments seem on the same track as those made by Executive Chairman Schmidt in h albeit with a different timeline: “There will be more commonality [between Chrome OS Android] for sure, but they are certainly going to remain separate for a very, very long time because they solve different problems,” Schmidt said.

Several analysts said they are awaiting more clarity on a possible merger of Chrome Android at the upcoming I/O. At least two analysts say the two must come together to avoid confusion amid developers manufacturers duplication in their efforts.

“Mid term, between three to five years, Chrome Android need to converge,” said Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights Strategy, in an email on Monday. “Over the last few years, Chrome has become more like Android Android has adopted Chrome features. If it keeps moving in this direction, it will just result in confusion. Having two different experiences that are similar is a waste of time, energy resources to the ecosystem of OEMs, developers sales channels.”

Moorhead said developer tools for both, Chromium the Android SDK, should merge as well.

Rob Enderle, an analyst at Enderle Groups, added: “Two different OSes with overlapping missions seems to be an unnecessary complication. The Chrome OS needs sales volume, while Android needs to be fixed. Android is very insecure has too much intellectual property that doesn’t belong to .”

Enderle said regardless of what chai told red, Android Chrome will merge. “I don’t see much choice, as they aren’t sustaining two platforms successfully at the moment,” he said.

The different versions of Android used by smartphone makers wireless carriers have caused user frustration due to update delays led to security worries for some IT shops. Despite these issues, Android has grown to become the largest smartphone platform globally, with about 70 percent of total shipments in the past year, according to Gartner IDC.

Some analysts said there’s a possibility that could roll out new developer tools during or after I/O that bring Android Chrome closer.

Today, there’s a version of the Chrome browser that can run on the Android OS, but there are no Android apps that can run on Chrome laptops. Some rumors have suggested might finally announce the ability to edit Office documents in Chrome.

Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Gartner, urged more commonality between the two platforms. She noted that Android devices running with a Chrome browser give users the option of conducting tasks while browsing the Internet or running apps, while the Chrome OS today does not offer such flexibility.

“Furthermore, if you have a smartphone you invest in an Android app for a tablet, I would like to share that same experience on a Chromebook,” she said. “Having the commonality across platforms fits with usage patterns, where users have more than one mobile device or households have multiple devices.”

Other news at I/O

st fall, users predicted this week’s I/O would bring the appearance of Android 5.0, also called Key me e. But several analysts said there’s widespread agreement that 5.0 has been delayed in favor of a more incremental upgrade of lly Bean, or Android version 4.2, to version 4.3, with support for a Bluetooth low energy spec OpenGfor Embedded Systems 3.0, which provides tools for graphics on devices like smartphones.

It’s also possible that is waiting to launch Android 5.0 until after Apple announces its iOS 7 possibly at its rldwide Developer Conference in ne.

Rumors have also pointed to an upgrade to the Nexus 7 tablet, giving it a faster processor a high-resolution screen. Such improvements could be seen as providing competition for an expected upcoming id mini with Retina display.

was also expected to demonstrate a physical llet card with a magnetic strip, perhaps this week. But l Things D last week, citing unnamed sources, said CEO rry ge physical card has scuttled the physical card for now. couldn’t be reached to comment.

The purpose of a physical card was to attract consumers with a familiar payment method, partly because NFC on phones llet have been slow in coming. st week, confirmed its vice president of wallet payments, Osama Bedier, had resigned.