IDC: Chromebooks Outsold Macs for the First Time in 2020

[rubaxter]

30% growth doesn't sound like Chromebook bit the Apple.
Kind of sad that Windows lost that much ground to it's competitors (and in general!) in these days !

Most of the Great Unwashed have NEVER needed a real laptop, much less a real desktop.

I'd imagine declines include a sizeable portion of 'generational culls' from the initial waves of computer users who see a desktop or maybe a laptop as 'real' computers that they need to have and have grown up around, with a LOT of ingrained Windows experience.

I'll always be in the market for a great laptop, and maybe desktop, but I also do a lot of things online that Soccer Moms and Futball Dads stare at you like a bolt-gunned cow when you talk about it.

 

[drkrleitch]

Chromebooks will work fine for about 98% of people who buy a laptop. Factor in most Chromebooks cost less than half the entry level Macbook, this makes total sense.

Most new Chromebooks are getting up to 8 years of support, with OS updates every 6 weeks. If a device goes kaput, it's easy to set up on another one. With the addition of Android apps and new OS features, Chrome OS is kickin' it.

 

[Euroamerican]

Chromebook on one side of the desk to run the school's apps, the other side of the desk is occupied with a privately purchased Windows laptop or Macbook to run the chat apps, youtube, and games.

I don't feel bad at all for Apple or Microsoft for screwing the pooch regarding lost opportunity in the education world or even the retail world.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Schools in my province are currently waiting on more orders of ChromeBooks for the students, we just had a massive spike in COVID-19 cases and our government shut down the schools fairly quick in response.

They are doing the smart thing though, only issuing the Chromebooks to students who are in need of them, as opposed to blindly ordering 1,000's of them and giving one to every child. They checked with myself and other parents to see if the child already had immediate access to web enabled hardware to do the online learning.

They checked at my son’s school last year way before the schools closed.

 

[SuperMatt]

Chromebook on one side of the desk to run the school's apps, the other side of the desk is occupied with a privately purchased Windows laptop or Macbook to run the chat apps, youtube, and games.

I don't feel bad at all for Apple or Microsoft for screwing the pooch regarding lost opportunity in the education world or even the retail world.

Apple hasn’t tried to compete in the low-cost PC market for a long time… maybe since the Performa models? Chromebooks are low-margin, short lifespan devices. Apple’s not really interested in that market. As for Microsoft not getting Windows on these, I believe not needing to pay for Windows is one of the reasons these are cheaper. Windows could have tried lower-cost licenses for entry-level notebooks, but again… maybe they don‘t want to compete in this market.

 

[poi ran]

Are these US only data? I live in Europe, and never ever saw anyone use a chromebook, and a quick search brings up one store in the whole country where they sell them. And based on their prices I don't get the hype, one can get a basic Wintel noetbook for their price.

My kids (7 and 9) got Chromebooks in school (Sweden), I wouldn't want them as a home computer, but for the kids they work fine.

I think chromebooks are becoming much more common and powerful, and the future for ChromeOS will be interesting; I assume most chromebooks will run on ARM cpus in a couple of years, most Android apps will work of course, and possibly ChromeOS and Android could merge in phones - once docked (wirelessly) to a screen and keyboard/mouse/whatever it's a complete computer. (some phones can already do some of this).

 

[MacBH928]

That’s not really a computer though. It’s an internet terminal used by stay home moms who post on FB about 5G Bill Gates Illuminati space lasers and chakra cleaning green juice activated almonds.

It makes complete sense, most people usually just use the browser in a computer most other apps have and android version too. Its sufficient and can't beat the price. Google nailed it for the educational market here.

Apple could do same if they decide to release a cheapo iOS...like an ePad.

 

[dba415]

Apple hasn’t tried to compete in the low-cost PC market for a long time… maybe since the Performa models? Chromebooks are low-margin, short lifespan devices. Apple’s not really interested in that market. As for Microsoft not getting Windows on these, I believe not needing to pay for Windows is one of the reasons these are cheaper. Windows could have tried lower-cost licenses for entry-level notebooks, but again… maybe they don‘t want to compete in this market.

Apple has tried to present iPads as low cost computers for years.

 

[SuperMatt]

Apple has tried to present iPads as low cost computers for years.

More like an alternative to a low-cost computer…

 

[mi7chy]

More like an alternative to a low-cost computer…

It's garbage. No full desktop browser so doesn't qualify.

 

[SuperMatt]

Apple has tried to present iPads as low cost computers for years.

This also brings up a point. If you consider iPads as low-cost computers, why are they not included in this comparison that is saying that Chromebooks are outselling Macs? If we want to count iPads as low-cost PCs, they should be in the chart as well.

 

[SuperMatt]

It's garbage. No full desktop browser so doesn't qualify.

Apple sold over 500 million pieces of garbage then. I’m using garbage right now. This post reminds me of the infamous 2001 iPod review:

No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.

 

[dba415]

This also brings up a point. If you consider iPads as low-cost computers, why are they not included in this comparison that is saying that Chromebooks are outselling Macs? If we want to count iPads as low-cost PCs, they should be in the chart as well.

Apple may be trying but that doesn't mean people have to buy their marketing BS. I don't think most people would consider iPads to be computers, but they consider Chromebooks to be one.

The ad you posted with the kid doing school work on iPad clearly shows that Apple is trying to get into the Edu space, but they are getting eaten alive by Chromebooks as most schools realize that Chromebooks are the better value.

 

[SuperMatt]

Apple may be trying but that doesn't mean people have to buy their marketing BS. I don't think most people would consider iPads to be computers, but they consider Chromebooks to be one.

The ad you posted with the kid doing school work on iPad clearly shows that Apple is trying to get into the Edu space, but they are getting eaten alive by Chromebooks as most schools realize that Chromebooks are the better value.

Ok, so how many iPads are sold compared to Chromebooks? This article says more Chromebooks are sold than Macs, but I believe Apple sells more iPads than Macs. In the last quarter, they made $8.44 billion on iPads. They made $8.68 billion on Macs. Macs cost more than iPads, maybe close to 2-to-1 on average. So Apple sold 2x as many iPads, which would put iPads well ahead of Chromebooks. So I fail to see how that is “getting eaten alive” when one company’s iPad (Apple) is outselling every Chromebook maker combined.

I definitely do not consider Chromebooks to be more of a computer than an iPad. Fewer apps, slower processor, less storage space… but they have built-in keyboards, which is the differentiator for many people.

A Chromebook is just a web browser. An iPad can do so much more.

 

[CajunMoses]

Agreed. Seems odd that ChromeOS and WebTV don't share a Wikipedia entry.

You must be thinking of the Chromebit, or possibly Chromecast. Chrome OS was never intended for use primarily with a TV as the screen. It also runs Android and Linux apps in containers. And some enterprise Chromebooks use Parallels to run Windows apps.

 

[CajunMoses]

Ok, so how many iPads are sold compared to Chromebooks? This article says more Chromebooks are sold than Macs, but I believe Apple sells more iPads than Macs. In the last quarter, they made $8.44 billion on iPads. They made $8.68 billion on Macs. Macs cost more than iPads, maybe close to 2-to-1 on average. So Apple sold 2x as many iPads, which would put iPads well ahead of Chromebooks. So I fail to see how that is “getting eaten alive” when one company’s iPad (Apple) is outselling every Chromebook maker combined.

I definitely do not consider Chromebooks to be more of a computer than an iPad. Fewer apps, slower processor, less storage space… but they have built-in keyboards, which is the differentiator for many people.

A Chromebook is just a web browser. An iPad can do so much more.

Yes, a Chromebook DOES have a keyboard. That makes a HUGE difference for productivity, which is why an iPad can't be compared to a Chromebook. Chromebook also runs Android and Linux apps in containers. And some enterprise Chromebooks use Parallels to run Windows apps. There's simply no comparison. That said, iPads are GREAT media consumption devices and great for apps designed primarily for finger or pen input.

 

[4jasontv]

You must be thinking of the Chromebit, or possibly Chromecast. Chrome OS was never intended for use primarily with a TV as the screen. It also runs Android and Linux apps in containers. And some enterprise Chromebooks use Parallels to run Windows apps.

I am thinking of devices that use remote servers to power their 'apps'.

 

[CajunMoses]

Ah yes. Like any banking 'app' or investment 'app' or really any highly trusted 'app' that needs to be available, up-to-the-minute current, secure, and OS-agnostic, with device-independent performance 100% of the time and w/o the user doing anything to maintain the 'app'. Yes, then I definitely agree with you.

 

[kc9hzn]

Hardly surprising given what iPadPro can do these day, it has taken macOS users across to iPadOS, especially amongst home users.

Good point, too. An iPad Pro would do about 95% of what I need a computer for and would certainly handle basically all of the everyday things (I could even use my trackball now that it has mouse support). That other 5% tends to be hobbyist technical stuff that I only do highly irregularly, like formatting SD cards, rooting Android devices, managing MiniDiscs, personal software development, managing a Raspberry Pi, running VMs of obscure OSes, emulating game consoles.

 

[kc9hzn]

It's garbage. No full desktop browser so doesn't qualify.

Define “full desktop browser”. What does mobile Safari on the most recent iPadOS lack that you want from a desktop browser, especially in 2021 where NPAPI plug-ins are basically dead? They‘ve even addressed what were my pain points with Mobile Safari for years (lack of a download manager, lack of a way to request desktop sites and block browser sniffing to serve you a mobile site).

I’m assuming you’re basically taking about browser extensions. In general, I’ve found that Apple’s ad blocking API is better for privacy and security than ad blockers that reside in the browser and have access to every page you navigate to. And ad blockers, tracking blockers are really the only extensions, beyond some web development minded ones, that I‘ve ever found legitimately useful. But maybe you’ve got a different sort of browser extension you actually find useful. But, for me, Mobile Safari on my iPhone, let alone on an iPad, meets all of my “desktop browser” needs. In general, I found years ago that an iPad worked for basically all of my daily computer needs, it just sometimes required a different workflow or different approach for doing them. And it looks like that’s gotten simpler since then.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

MacBook should be back, this has been a missing opportunity.
I thought moving to ARM would lower Macs prices but I guess not.

Chromebooks are only PART of what Google’s offering. They’re also offering remote support and administration... read that as “No one has to know what they do, really, and we don’t have to pay for an IT guy.” Chromebooks are just tied to this low cost or, for some customers, free service. It’s a price Google’s more than willing to pay to get at that lovely data. A MacBook will NEVER be able to fit that profile.

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

Chromebooks are only PART of what Google’s offering. They’re also offering remote support and administration... read that as “No one has to know what they do, really, and we don’t have to pay for an IT guy.” Chromebooks are just tied to this low cost or, for some customers, free service. It’s a price Google’s more than willing to pay to get at that lovely data. A MacBook will NEVER be able to fit that profile.

Similar to iPhone SE, give it a couple of years and we will see some impressive hardware at an affordable price.

 

[sracer]

Similar to iPhone SE, give it a couple of years and we will see some impressive hardware at an affordable price.

It is highly doubtful that we will see Apple hardware at an "affordable" (whatever that means) price that will compete with chromebooks. Apple's not in the bargain hardware market. I didn't view the introduction of the M1 as a way for Apple to reduce prices... but as a way to increase profit margins, control over chip development/advancements, and laying the foundation for a locked-down desktop computing platform (analogous to iOS and iPad OS).

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Similar to iPhone SE, give it a couple of years and we will see some impressive hardware at an affordable price.

The hardware isn’t the important part. Apple could offer MacBooks for FREE, but, since the school system would still have to hire folks OR train current folks on administration, it’s still losing to Google. Apple would have to commit to losing massive money in education (and they’ve shown no recent desire to do so) in order to even have a showing. Education is not important to Apple because for every Chromebook on the desk, there’s an iPhone in the pocket or iPad at home.

 

[BigMac?]

It’s like androids and iPhones!