Linux-based tablet/laptop platform Chromebook is making a massive mark in the market as the coronavirus pandemic continues to prevent kids from attending school. Chromebook laptops, which run through Google’s Chrome OS operations, compete with Windows in market pricing while proving to be much cheaper than MacBooks by Apple.
As the use of Google Classroom and Google Meet rapidly becomes more relevant nowadays, it makes the experience easy and practical as shutting down of schools continues to take effect.
Almost a decade after creating Chromebook in 2011, the world’s internet search engine giant started to license the platform. It aims to serve as an educational notebook that would require less computing and built-in storage to compete with more established PC companies like Acer and Asustek Computer. Google remains to be the biggest beneficiary of this mark.
While Windows Microsoft is still the predominant PC operating system in the market, Chromebook is on a roll to trim Microsoft’s advantage, especially if the quarantine continues to take effect. Users get even more comfortable using Chrome’s Linux-based product.
“The typical game plan doesn’t really exist, at least in the recent quarters, because there’s been this gold rush for Chromebooks, so people take what they can get.”
IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani
Contrary to a typical PC system that usually relies on AMD or Intel’s central process units to deal with complicated computing tasks, the Chromebook is run by ChromeOS, which also uses cloud storage to handle computing processes. The feature also enables users to utilize the same through their smartphones.
Jerry Yu, the corporate senior vice president of the world’s second-largest smartphone chip provider Mediatek, also foresees more immense opportunities using the processor, Wi-Fi chips, and power management in Chromebooks. Yu also bared his intention to provide high-end chips to supply the increasing demand brought by the pandemic.
“During the pandemic, the overall laptop market saw growth, but within such a market, the cloud-based Chromebook recorded remarkable growth, which we expect to be around 50% increase year over year. That’s something we never saw in the past.”
Jerry Yu
This week, Parallels announced software that would enable Chromebook users to access Windows, giving more leeway to get their traction in the corporate world.
“We have seen a massive increase in demand for Chromebooks.”
Google CEO Sundar Pichai