Chromebooks make up 3% of PC market

Chromebooks accounted for 2.8 percent of all PCs shipped worldwide in the first three quarters of 2015, according to data from IDC. This is up from the 1.9 percent of the market Chromebooks had for the entirety of 2014. However, it is not yet known whether Chromebooks will surpass their 2014 numbers because of declining PC sales. Chromebook shipments numbered 5.7 million in the first three quarters of 2015 compared with 5.86 million in all of 2014. PC shipments in total declined 10.4 percent in 2015 to 276.21 million units.

Chromebooks represent a small portion of the market in raw numbers, but they have had a sizable impact. Microsoft has responded by making low-powered Windows machines such as the HP Stream. This has also meant that Microsoft made improvements in Windows, especially with the release of Windows 10. This approach has several advantages. One is that allowing software to run on less powerful hardware is a move to capture part of the "next billion" segment or consumers from developing economies going online for the first time but with little access to high-end hardware. Chromebooks also gained an edge by selling to people who no longer feel the need for a high-end PC to do basic tasks on the Internet.

Unfortunately for those sourcing from China, Chromebooks are only available from well-known brands that have partnered with Google. However, with the improvements in Windows and Intel Atom processors, which many low- and mid-tier Windows computers run on, the advantages of Chromebooks can be realized in Windows laptops with similar prices. China suppliers have a wide variety of moderately priced Windows laptops these days.

Another development that holds promise for China importers is the possibility of a Chrome OS and Android merger. Google has indicated that it wants to combine the best of both operating systems, although details on how that would work are not yet known. Google has revealed that it prefers to merge Chrome into Android, not the other way around. This is because Android has been the more successful operating system. If this happens, more manufacturers may be able to take advantage of an open-source Android OS that works much better on laptops and laptop/tablet hybrids.

See a comparison table of selected Chromebook and Chromebook accessory suppliers on GlobalSources.com