That's right. Very few people buy and continue to use Chromebooks. It's one of those standard marketing push. First, release PR to generate fake buzz, and also smear the existing players. This can be done by cherry picking the numbers, providing orchestrated/anecdotal case studies and segments. Then introduce "newer" Chromebooks and special discounts to try to match those fake numbers. They have the whole year of stock to clear.
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U.S. Tablet Sales Led by iPad in 2013 as Chromebooks Overtake MacBooks
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That's right. Very few people buy and continue to use Chromebooks. It's one of those standard marketing push. First, release PR to generate fake buzz, and also smear the existing players. This can be done by cherry picking the numbers, providing orchestrated/anecdotal case studies and segments. Then introduce "newer" Chromebooks and special discounts to try to match those fake numbers. They have the whole year of stock to clear.
This. I am somewhat amused by the large number of people here (and elsewhere) who seem to think that personal anecdotes trump empirical data.
The irony is NPD's numbers is also anecdotal evidence since Apple don't release numbers to them. They can only calculate based on whatever data they can get, and project Apple's direct sales numbers. Education institutions buy in bulk from Apple. Students also buy from Apple.
NPD have to come up with some numbers. As long as Google find out from NPD where they get their numbers, it is a piece of cake to boost them.
MS is absolutely scared of Chromebook. A sigifnicant portion of personal and business use doesn't require a laptop. They are already losing market shares to tablets. Now Chromebooks are filling a void (due to cost and Googledocs) that tablets can't fill.
From the consumer side Windows 8 has been a fiasco. if anything it has made consumers less loyal to windows products and interested in looking at other options.
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Exactly 'But, but. at my school, coffee shop and around my buddies who are just like me.....isn't the whole world just like me.' LOL!
You mean sales data (albeit third-parties) versus personal stories?
Here's some "anecdotal" evidence for you as well: Amazon sales figures (namely Kindles).
I would like to think their methods apply something statistically more rigorous than "I was in a coffee shop and I saw blah blah" which is what I consider anecdotal. It may turn out you are correct, and then the irony would be rich, indeed.
True. But they could use a cheaper model or two in places. Something that fulfils the role of the old white plastic MacBooks, for example.
99% huh? Ok - let's see some evidence of that. I'm not sure you'll find anything remotely true about it because that's just your bias speaking. Not fact.
While HenryDJP is looking up his stats, maybe you can provide evidence to your assertion too.
These are NOT consumer sales. They are measuring enterprise, schools and government. There are cheap net books that can easily compete with Chromebooks, and offer better enterprise integration, and more custom solutions.
They can run the real MS Office instead of Googledocs or even iCloud apps.
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*Partial* sales data is like anecdotal numbers. You see a limited view of the math.
There is a reason why Samsung don't want to release their sales numbers. They can work with the marketing companies better.
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This is getting silly. PLEASE read up on the utilization and purpose of sample size in the realm of statistics. If you still believe that is equivalent to anecdotal evidence... I don't know what to say.
I don't get this theory.
Apple would rather provide their idea of a great experience (which carries a certain cost) than throw out a cheap limited piece of junk.
Apple isn't in it for the market share. Never have been. Never will be. As soon as they start trying to cater to everyone, is the point they'll cease being the "Apple" that has made them awesome for those of us who use their stuff.
Let other OEM's race to the bottom and provide cheap alternatives for those who want them. Apple is the PREMIUM computer/smartphone/tablet maker.
I'm not saying the traditional car analogies are correct - but I will say this: You don't see Mercedes offering "low-end" options. Companies don't have to be everything to everyone. If I recall, that's what almost did Apple in back in the 90s.
What does that even have to do with comparing anecdotal evidence and statistical results? Despite that the statement itself is anecdotal nonsense. I'm done with this. Edumacating isn't for me.
Exactly - having worked at BBY I can tell you there are plenty of people who walk in and say "I want the cheapest laptop you've got that can surf the internet". They couldn't care less what's under the hood.
That "1 in 10" number is probably going to increase based on the proportion of consumers I encountered that did the above. If its cheap enough, people will buy it. Because in the end - a large part of the consumer base does little on their devices and want to spend as little money as possible.
I used to work in one of these channel data solution companies. Left after 2 years when I found out how it really works. Also worked briefly with a chair professor in the marketing department of a UC on a channel marketing software.
Use your own common sense as well when you look at numbers. Ask questions before you believe in numbers.
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Again, you are talking about consumer sales. These are enterprise sales. The purchase process and decision are different.
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You are making too much assumptions.
Statistics can present a skewed picture too. Easily.
There are cheap net books that work much better than Chromebooks for enterprises.
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There is. MS has had File Backup since Vista, and with 8, they've added File History, which does take more than a few cues from TM.
Like everything Windows, it tends to be pretty slick, and offers a little more granular control over what you can do with it, but it's buried away from the front end, so most people won't know about it unless they already know about it, and the UI isn't as elegant.
That's true when it comes to laptops. But I'd submit both the iPhone and iPad are DEFINITELY about market share.
That being said, I'm always amazed at how defensive Apple fans are these types of topics. They treat it like a sports or politics where it's 'us vs. them'....even though somebody else buying a device has ZERO impact on their lives.
A $200 Nexus has 10 times the capability of a chromebook and it works offline. I think the decline in MacBooks is related to the boom in tablets. Chromebooks are doing well because of the price. They will fizzle out in a few years unless Google takes the OS to the next level. They are certainly in a position to take the lead from Microsoft if they get serious.
I think anyone using google services for anything sensitive are insane given that Section 11.1 of Google's terms of service says that "you give Google a worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through the Service for the sole purpose of enabling Google to provide you with the Service in accordance with its Privacy Policy"
INSANE!
Anyways. As Good as chromeOS may be in the future. I reviewed a few machines for my company as a cheap laptop for all and. It's reliance on "Always on" is utterly useless for the most part and when your internet fails it's data recovery is rubbish and I ended up with nothing but corrupt files and mixed up data.
And Google docs is for the most part horrible to use, Feature empty and clunky. Which is the main problem.
Word is way better. But for the most part like shooting a peanut open with a shotgun shell. I am happy with iWork and now you have a pretty good feature set on all platforms... you can even use it in windows in a browser.
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They haven't... read between the lines... and the posts!
I agree - it makes little difference to any of our personal lives. But we are here to discuss.....so.
I'd say the iPad and iPhone only seemed that way because they were the beginning of the smartphone/tablet boom. They still have a very specific experience they want consumers to buy into and won't limit that experience in a "cheap" option.
If Apple were about marketshare, they could've released the iPhone 5C at $350 off contract and sold a BOAT TON. But they didn't. That tells me all I need to know.
And again, just a discussion. I don't take any of this personally, just offering up an opinion.
I used to work in one of these channel data solution companies. Left after 2 years when I found out how it really works. Also worked briefly with a chair professor in the marketing department of a UC on a channel marketing software.
Use your own common sense as well when you look at numbers. Ask questions before you believe in numbers.
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Again, you are talking about consumer sales. These are enterprise sales. The purchase process and decision are different.
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You are making too much assumptions.
Statistics can present a skewed picture too. Easily.
There are cheap net books that work much better than Chromebooks for enterprises.
Deflection is your best friend. Or lack of reading comprehension. Either way - I won't be furthering a conversation with you.
Wow!! That is an insane Terms of Use condition. And one that I think the overwhelming majority of users are unaware of. Scary how much fine print we all click through.
You can get web based Office now and its very very good. I can't speak for your office but ours, no internet no work. No phones, no email, no ECC access nothing. So the always on thing may not be that big of a deal and with tethering and or LTE devices (what we use for travel) it really isn't a big deal.