Skip to main content

Report: Chromebook use on par with Windows RT devices, and that’s not a good thing

Chromebooks
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Windows RT devices may have been getting a lot of flack for their disappointing sales numbers and continued usability issues, prompting major manufacturers like Samsung to pull its RT lineup. But, according to NetMarketShare‘s latest report tracking usage, Chromebook sales numbers are right on par with Windows RT’s numbers.

The Chromebook’s usage number is so low that it did not even show up in the Internet tracking company’s report for the week of April 8 (the first week that NetMarketShare is monitoring the Chromebook category). According to ZDNet, which got an advance look at the numbers, only 0.02 percent of users used a Chromebook to browse the Web last week, which falls under NetMarketShare’s minimum of 0.1 percent to be included in its findings.

Recommended Videos

Unlike other research agencies like IDC that track computer shipment numbers to estimate market share, NetMarketShare measures the type of device and operating system that are used to browse the Internet to get a sense of its actual market share. (You can read all about NetMarketShare’s methodology here.)

Considering the fact that low-cost and under-powered Chromebooks geared for Google’s cloud-based services have been around since 2011, its miniscule usage number for one week in April is much more atrocious than recent Windows 8 figures. After all, Windows 8 devices have only been on the market since October 2012. As ZDNet put it, “As of April 2013 all Chromebooks combined have managed to achieve 7/10 of 1 percent of the usage of Windows 8 PCs worldwide.”

Meanwhile, Chromebook manufacturers seem undeterred by its weak sales numbers and continue to churn out new Chrome OS-based laptops like the premium priced Google Chromebook Pixel and Acer’s budget C710. Will Chromebooks be going the way of netbooks soon?

Gloria Sin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…
Google is bringing desktop Windows apps to Chromebooks
The Google Pixelbook on a desk.

One of the key complaints about what has prevented traditional PC users from switching to Chrome OS has been the absence of desktop apps. Google wants to fix that in order to shape Chromebooks as a more viable option for enterprises that especially rely on legacy apps. In partnership with virtualization software maker, Parallels, Google has announced it's bringing support for proper Windows apps, including Microsoft Office, to Chrome OS.

In a blog post discussing the remote future of workforces, John Solomon, vice president of the Chrome OS division, said that Google is now working with Parallels to "add legacy application support — which includes Microsoft Office desktop apps— to Chromebooks.”

Read more
Intel Battlemage GPU: everything we know so far
Intel Arc A770 GPU installed in a test bench.

Despite a rocky start, Intel's Arc GPUs are now among the best graphics cards you can buy. Targeting budget PC gamers, Intel has established itself as a major player in gaming graphics cards, and all eyes are on Team Blue with its next generation of GPUs, codenamed Battlemage.

We know Battlemage GPUs are coming, and Intel has slowly been dropping hints about the graphics cards over the past year. Although we're still waiting on an official release date, specs, and pricing details for Battlemage GPUs, there's a lot we can piece together already.
Intel Battlemage: specs

Read more
Spotify vs. Pandora: which streaming service should you choose?
spotify vs pandora on iphone

Let's settle a musical debate: which music streaming platform should you use: Spotify or Pandora?

Both services have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Spotify boasts a more extensive music catalog, robust social features for sharing and discovering music with friends, and a more polished user experience across devices.

Read more