According to IDC analyst Linn Huang, Google Chromebooks, the tech giants low-cost laptop offering, outsold Apple’s popular Mac laptops for the first time in the U.S. last quarter.
Huang pointed out the milestone in an interview with The Verge. “Chrome OS overtook Mac OS in the U.S. in terms of shipments for the first time in 1Q16. Chromebooks are still largely a U.S. K-12 story,” Huang said.
Chromebooks, sold by manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo and Haier are generally priced in the $150 to $300 range, which is significantly lower than base model Apple laptops. The Google Chromebooks run the Chrome operating system, which is essentially a web browser. The low price point has attracted lots of educational institutions looking to hook up students as Huang referenced.
The latest plus for Google Chromebooks is upcoming full access to the Android Play Store, which will open more than 1 million new web-based apps for use on the devices.
According to IDC estimates, more than 2 million Google Chromebooks were sold in the last quarter compared to around 1.76 million Macs.
Many media outlets and analysts have picked up on the implications of Google’s success to Microsoft. Business Insider reported: “But for Microsoft, it means that the pressure is on — Google’s slow-but-steady attack is bearing some real results, and it’s not great news for Windows 10.”
Image courtesy of Amazon.com.
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