Chromebooks in 2020: A Banner Year

The Unusual Trends in Consumer Electronics During 2020

The year 2020 presented unprecedented circumstances across numerous sectors. The consumer electronics industry experienced a particularly volatile period. Specifically, the smartphone market faced initial disruptions due to manufacturing slowdowns originating in China.

Subsequently, a widespread reduction in consumer demand was observed. While multiple factors contributed to this decline, a primary reason was simply a reluctance among consumers to invest in device upgrades.

The Rise of PCs and Tablets

However, the onset of the pandemic dramatically altered work and educational landscapes for many individuals. This sudden transition necessitated technological investments, even amidst prevailing economic anxieties.

Consequently, sales of PCs and tablets, which had previously experienced stagnation or decline, witnessed a notable surge. Recent data from IDC indicated a nearly 20% increase in tablet sales during the fourth quarter, partially attributed to delays in PC production.

Chromebooks Gain Market Share

Further analysis from IDC’s PC Tracker reveals substantial gains for Chromebooks during this period. In 2020, Chromebooks accounted for 10.8% of the overall PC market.

This represents a significant increase from the 6.4% market share held in the previous year. Notably, this figure surpassed MacOS’s 7.5% share for the entire year.

Market Share Shifts

Despite this, Apple demonstrated overall growth, increasing its market share from 6.7%. These gains have impacted Windows’ market position, although Microsoft remains the dominant force with 80.5% (a decrease from 85.4%).

These statistics align with positive reports from other analytical firms. Canalys reported in January that Chromebook vendors achieved record success in the fourth quarter, with the market nearly quadrupling in size compared to the same period in the prior year.

Factors Driving Chromebook Growth

Pricing is a key consideration, alongside the urgent need for devices as educational institutions transitioned to virtual learning environments due to COVID-19 concerns.