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Chromebooks are Schooling Apple & Microsoft in the Education Market

12/13/2015

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As the PC market continues its decline, areas for growth are becoming few and far between for hardware manufacturers. But the education world remains a rare area for computer companies to tap into. Over the past couple of years, no one has tapped into schools like Chromebook manufacturers. According to a new report from Futuresource Consulting, the (mostly) budget-priced notebooks that run Google's Chrome operating system have gone from a statistical blip to the dominant player in the space in the time it's taken a second grader to reach the fifth grade.

Futuresource claims that Chromebooks accounted for more than 50% of U.S. sales for education devices in the third quarter, a jump that comes at the expense of iOS devices (i.e., iPads) and, to a lesser degree, Windows PCs. That's up from 40% at the same point last year, and less than one percent back in 2012.
It's not too hard to determine why Chromebooks have swiftly infiltrated classrooms, thanks to starting prices that are notably cheaper than iPads. The laptop form factor is often better suited to productivity as well, allowing students to type without needing the extra expense of an optional keyboard. Considering the strained budgets of many school districts, saving thousands of dollars on new technology seems like a no-brainer.

But Chromebooks' rapid ascent isn't a guarantee that they will continue to dominate the education market. Futuresource expects Microsoft to redouble its efforts to increase sales of Windows systems to schools, emphasizing the increasingly popular 2-in-1 laptops at a cheaper price point. There are a handful of 2-in-1 Chromebooks, such as the Asus Chromebook Flip, but Chrome is not optimized for touch support as well as the most recent versions of Windows are.
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Chromebook adoption is far slower in the rest of the world than in the U.S., with a mere 3% market share in non-U.S. schools, according to Futuresource. While that provides a massive opportunity for growth, Google isn't doing itself any favors if the Electronic Frontier Foundation's allegations are true that the company is collecting data on students using its Chromebooks, something the privacy-focused European nations wouldn't look kindly upon.  

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    Rick Richardson, CPA, CITP, CGMA

    Rick is the editor of the weekly newsletter, Technology This Week. You can subscribe to it by visiting the website.

    Rick is also the Managing Partner of Richardson Media & Technologies, LLC. Prior to forming his current company, he had a 28-year career in technology with Ernst & Young, the last twelve years of which he served as National Director of Technology.

    Mr. Richardson has been named to the "Technology 100"- the annual honors list of the 100 key achievers in technology in America. He has also been honored by the American Institute of CPAs with two Lifetime Achievement awards and a Special Career Recognition Award for his contributions to the profession in the field of technology.

    In 2012, Rick was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame by CPA Practice Advisor Magazine. He has also been named to the 100 most influential individuals in the accounting profession in America by Accounting Today magazine.

    In 2017, Rick was inducted as a Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achiever, a registry of professionals who have excelled in their fields for many years and achieved greatness in their industry.

    He is a sought after speaker around the world, providing his annual forecast of future technology trends to thousands of business executives, professionals, community leaders, educators and students.

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