A few years back, no one talked about Chromebooks. They were almost a gimmick, and if anyone was interested in your device, they were out of curiosity because they’d never seen one in person. Today, it’s another story altogether.
Chromebooks are a fast-growing market and for some very good reasons. With that in mind, here’s why the Chromebook market is still on the rise and will continue to be throughout this decade and beyond.
- ChromeOS is incredibly appealing to users
A lot of people are left disappointed when they realize that some of their favorite apps don’t have a Windows version. With a Chromebook, a person will never face this problem. You see, a Chromebook is practically a laptop-shaped Android device. It gets the best of both worlds.
On the one hand, you get all the software you would find on your smartphone, but at the same time, you get a window-like system, like you would see on Windows or MacOS. It’s a tool that’s perfect for work, and it relies on the principle that you’re already used to.
The strongest selling point of Chromebook is definitely the fact that you get access to a Play Store and all its apps. This means productivity and entertainment apps are plentiful – you can literally download anything you could download to your phone. There’s really no difference.
And, when it comes to Chromebook virus protection, there are dedicated apps for the system. Ilijia Miljkovac says that these devices are equipped with virus protection straight from the box, and ChromeOS is based on Linux, one of the most secure operating systems around. However, he continues that malware is still a possibility, and recommends Chromebook users to choose an antivirus accordingly.
Since it has cross-device compatibility, it will seamlessly work with other Google devices and services. This means that Android phones and Google Home will have no trouble syncing with your Chromebook, giving you a unified experience.
Sure, it also seamlessly integrates with tools like Google Suite; however, we’re not going to pretend that other devices don’t. Still, the fact that Chromebook is a Google device gives it a slight edge when it comes to all these integrations.
The interface is user-friendly, and all the updates are automatic. Even if you never had a Chromebook before, you really have nothing to worry about.
- More affordable than laptops
A lot of people buy laptops for work, which means that they expect a certain ROI. Sure, there are a few people for whom the cost is not an issue, but this is not the case for the majority of them. Sometimes, people have to buy a laptop on a budget, either to work remotely or because they need it for academic work.
In this scenario, it’s worth mentioning that an average budget-friendly laptop often starts at $500, while you can easily find a decent Chromebook for $300. If you decide to go really low, you can even get a Chromebook for as little as $59.
Just keep in mind that the price is not arbitrary and that a $500 laptop will outperform a $300 device; however, sometimes you don’t need a top-tier performance. Sometimes, you just need something cheap that will, eventually, get the job done.
In this scenario, the fact that they’re more affordable makes a world of difference. Sometimes, the cost is not about staying on a budget. It’s gatekeeping you from buying the device to begin with, and seeing how low-tier laptops are twice the cost of low-tier Chromebooks is more than significant. For a student without any kind of device, this can even be life-changing.
Of course, don’t just assume that we’re suggesting that all these Chromebooks are used for hard work and studying. A lot of people are using them for simple gaming, anonymous casinos, and other forms of entertainment. Even then, it’s great to have more options.
- Chromebook market is growing at an alarming pace
The next thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that the market’s size shares, revenues, and overall growth of adoption of Chromebook ensure that this device type has a great future.
All you have to do is look up a Chromebook report and analysis for 2024-2032 in order to see how even some of the field’s leading experts are predicting a great future for this device.
First of all, this device is of great interest to some of the largest laptop manufacturers in the world, including Acer, Dell, LG, and Hisense. At the same time, Google itself is getting deeper and deeper into the game. With their resource and serious plans to take a huge segment of the market, the competitiveness is bound to inspire quick innovation.
Even in 2021, the Chromebook market size was almost $4 billion, and this figure is expected to reach $14.5 billion by the year 2032 at a CAGR of 12.69%.
One major difference worth keeping in mind is a shift toward more expensive Chromebooks. You see, one of the biggest selling points of this device was the fact that you could find some lower-end devices incredibly cheap (we’ve already mentioned that it could be as low as $50). Well, lately, the demand for higher-end models has developed, which has further fueled the industry. With more money in the field, the development will, undoubtedly, be a lot quicker.
There’s also a shift toward smaller screen sizes. Unlike traditional laptops, smaller devices (with 13-inch screens) are incredibly popular.
- Battery life and portability
The main feature of any laptop is its portability, which is often determined by its battery life. Sure, you can plug it in the outlet, but this greatly restricts your movement and defeats the purpose of owning a laptop. So, for people who often work in Wi-Fi-connected areas, especially digital nomads, it would be safe to say that battery life is the main selling point of a device.
In a way, battery life could determine portability.
Laptop batteries are incredibly unpredictable. Sure, you may empirically have an idea of how much battery you have left. More demanding programs will drain your battery a lot quicker, which could drastically offset your initial estimate.
Chromebook battery can last up to ten hours. Now, be honest: will you often go more than ten hours without being in a position to recharge your battery? This is all the time you need to handle your work and get to the nearest charging station (your home or a hotel room). If you carry a laptop bag (with a charger), you can even charge it at a local coffee shop.
As we’ve mentioned in the previous section, smaller screen sizes are getting increasingly more popular. These smaller Chromebooks are also the cheapest ones, which means that you can easily get your hands on a truly portable device. After all, other than battery life, size is the biggest determiner of portability.
A Chromebook is all that a laptop should be.
To make the long story short, a Chromebook has everything that a laptop needs. It’s incredibly cheap, performs admirably, and operates on a robust operating system with all the best applications. It’s small and portable, has an incredibly long battery life, and is getting better and better by the hour.
Most importantly, it’s a growing market. Big and reliable manufacturers are taking over and expanding the market with the latest devices, some of which are high-end, which is what the device type desperately needs. All of this combined makes growth inevitable.
