Chromebooks are selling well, but not replacing Windows

One of the shining areas of the PC market over the last couple years has been a segment unopened to everyone. Chromebooks have seen considerable growth, and it looks like that trend is set to continue despite a declining PC market. However, Chromebooks are not being used to replace Windows PCs, according to PC World.

An analyst from Gartner told PC World that Chromebook shipments grew 18 percent in 2015 to 6.5 million units. This is projected to increase to 8 million units this year. About 1.65 million units were shipped in the first quarter. Gartner also said Chromebook growth will continue to be in double digits through 2019. The Chrome OS devices even started outselling Mac computers for the first time this year.

The reasons why Chromebooks are doing so well are telling. Chromebooks are doing best in the education market, where the low cost of hardware makes computers affordable for students. Windows PCs and MacBooks were never pocket-friendly enough for this market. Some schools that could afford it experimented with the iPad and later found that Chromebooks were more suitable.

Other consumers are using Chromebooks as an inexpensive companion computer. For basic tasks on the go, Chromebooks can be quite practical. But for serious work that requires specific software, Chromebooks often fall short. People are not ready to live exclusively in the cloud. This is why Chromebooks have not caught on with businesses.

Although Google tends to keep a tight leash on the Chromebook market, there are some benefits to other smaller makers. Chrome OS and Android are in the process of merging. Google is already rolling out updates to some Chromebooks that allow them to run Android software.

Other companies such as China's Jide are working to make Android more suitable for desktops. As Android apps become more usable with a mouse and keyboard, it will benefit both Chrome OS and Android users. Android would then become a much more suitable OS for detachable laptops and other two-in-one tablets, which have done well in the PC market.