I do think this is much more about search/advertisement than the author think. Google Chrome is Google way of removing all threats between its users and its advertisement, Chrome OS is one step further. It's a perfectly logical move.
Before Chrome & Chrome OS :
You & me -> OS (Windows, MacOS X, etc.) -> Browser (IE, FF, Safari, etc.) -> Google Search -> internet / webapps
Perfect world for Google:
You & me -> Google (OS, browser and Search) -> internet / webapps
Cellular phones, and the iPhone in particular, bring the threat one step further. Because what should be webapps are simply Apps on the iPhone, making Google a complete outsider instead of the gateway toward mobile apps. When you look for an iPhone App, Google is an outsider. A second choice after a failure with the iTunes Store Search.
I see Android as the answer to Apple standing between Google and its customers on the mobile market. And Apple standing in the way today sounds a bit like Microsoft standing in the way back in the 90ies...
I think efforts like Wave illustrate how much Google would like to find brand new markets to compete in; I don't think they have had much like getting real advertising dollars out of things other than search.
But you're right at least to a degree -- they have decided that open-ness is better for Google. Whether it is just for search or for other future things is a debatable point I guess.
Before Chrome & Chrome OS : You & me -> OS (Windows, MacOS X, etc.) -> Browser (IE, FF, Safari, etc.) -> Google Search -> internet / webapps
Perfect world for Google: You & me -> Google (OS, browser and Search) -> internet / webapps
Cellular phones, and the iPhone in particular, bring the threat one step further. Because what should be webapps are simply Apps on the iPhone, making Google a complete outsider instead of the gateway toward mobile apps. When you look for an iPhone App, Google is an outsider. A second choice after a failure with the iTunes Store Search.
I see Android as the answer to Apple standing between Google and its customers on the mobile market. And Apple standing in the way today sounds a bit like Microsoft standing in the way back in the 90ies...