IDC: Chromebooks Outsold Macs for the First Time in 2020

New data shows that Chromebook laptops outsold Mac computers for the first time over the course of a full year in 2020, a year largely driven by commercial demand for lightweight, powerful, and affordable personal computers. The data from IDC (via GeekWire) shows that Windows continues to dominate the market, although its share declined over the course of the year as Chrome OS surged past macOS into second place.

For the full year, the market share of Windows was down 4.9% in 2020 compared to 2019, while the Mac grew from 6.7% to 7.5%. IDC's data includes collective information about desktops, laptops, and workstations, and doesn't provide a breakdown of specific different product types. It is worth noting, however, that Chrome OS includes products made by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

marketshare

Demand for personal computers skyrocketed during 2020, largely thanks to the shift to working and learning at home. Market data estimates that in Q4 of 2020, the Mac grew by around 30% compared to the same quarter the previous year. In comparison to other makers, Apple had the most significant year-over-year growth in the quarter.

In addition to market shifts due to changes in work and school patterns, the fourth quarter of 2020 notably also saw Apple launched its first Apple silicon Macs, which have been very well received.

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Top Rated Comments

ArPe Avatar
56 months ago
That’s not really a computer though. It’s an internet terminal used by stay home moms who post on FB about 5G Bill Gates Illuminati space lasers and chakra cleaning green juice activated almonds.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
levitynyc Avatar
56 months ago
Chromebooks will work fine for about 98% of people who buy a laptop. Factor in most Chromebooks cost less than half the entry level Macbook, this makes total sense.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hastings101 Avatar
56 months ago
Probably school districts + parents of remote learners pushing the sales up, which is awesome imo. Chromebooks are the perfect education machines for almost every scenario besides a couple that macOS/Windows are required for. Cheap, have a microphone + speakers + webcam, easy to remote manage, very reliable too.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
56 months ago
Seems more like due to necessity than computing quality choices.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sammazookie Avatar
56 months ago
"lightweight, powerful, and affordable" - sorry, but you can only pick two.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marshall73 Avatar
56 months ago
That’s a boatload of sad kids, frustrated adults and a stack load of plastic tat gathering dust on a shelf now. Poor saps.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)