Google Inc.'s Chromebook was brushed aside as a mildly cheap laptop with limited appeal when it was released two years ago. Today, it is getting the attention of skeptics and gaining market share as the rest of the PC market contracts.
According to a NPD Group Inc report, Chromebooks have, in less than a year, captured 20% to 25% of the U.S. laptop market for laptops that are priced less than US$300. The report went to point out that the gadget, which has a full keyboard component and is able to get consistent software updates from Google, is the fastest-growing portion of the personal-computer industry based on its price range.
"While we were skeptical initially, I think Chromebooks definitely have found a niche in the marketplace. The entire computing ecosystem is undergoing some radical change, and I think Google has its part in that change," Stephen Baker, an analyst at NPD, said.
Join the Conversation