Chromebook
Chromebook is a line of laptops, desktops, tablets and all-in-one computers that run ChromeOS, a proprietary operating system developed by Google.
Chromebooks are optimised for web access. They also run Android apps, Linux applications, and progressive web apps which do not require an Internet connection. They are manufactured and offered by various OEMs.
The first Chromebooks were shipped on June 15, 2011. As of 2020, Chromebook's market share is 10.8%, placing it above the Mac platform; it has mainly found success in education markets.
Since 2021, all Chromebooks receive 10 years of regular automatic updates with security patches from Google; previously, Chromebooks received 8 years of updates. Chromebooks can be repurposed with other operating systems and/or used for other purposes if required.
History
The first Chromebooks for sale, by Acer Inc. and Samsung, were announced at the Google I/O conference on May 11, 2011 and began shipping on June 15, 2011. Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard and Google itself entered the market in early 2013. In December 2013, Samsung launched a Samsung Chromebook specifically for the Indian market that employed the company's Exynos 5 Dual core processor.Critical reaction to the device was initially skeptical, with some reviewers, such as then New York Times technology columnist David Pogue, unfavorably comparing the value proposition of Chromebooks with that of more fully featured laptops running the Microsoft Windows operating system. That complaint dissipated later in reviews of machines from Acer and Samsung that were priced lower.
In February 2013, Google announced and began shipping the Chromebook Pixel, a higher-spec machine with a high-end retail price.
In January 2015, Acer announced the first big screen Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 15 with an FHD 15.6-inch display.
By March 2018, Chromebooks made up 60% of computers purchased by schools in the United States. In October 2012, Simon Phipps, writing in InfoWorld, said, "The Chromebook line is probably the most successful Linux desktop/laptop computer we've seen to date".
On October 9, 2023, Google announced Chromebook Plus, a new category of Chromebooks that requires minimum hardware specifications, such as CPU, at least 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of local storage, 1080p IPS or better display and a 1080p+ web camera. The Plus supports video-editing with LumaFusion and web versions of Google Photos Magic Eraser and Adobe Photoshop.
Integration with Android
In May 2016, Google announced it would make Android apps available on Chromebooks via the Google Play application distribution platform. At the time, Google Play access was scheduled for the ASUS Chromebook Flip, the Acer Chromebook R 11 and the most recent Chromebook Pixel, with other Chromebooks slated over time. Partnering with Google, Samsung released the Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro in early 2017, the first Chromebooks to come with the Play Store pre-installed. A February 2017 review in The Verge reported that the Plus with its ARM processor handled Android apps "much better" than the Intel-based Pro, but said that "Android apps on Chrome OS are still in beta" and are "very much unfinished experience." The number of ChromeOS systems supporting Android apps in either the stable or beta channel is increasing.In the 2021 Android 11 launch, it was announced that Android apps would be moved to a new virtual machine called ArcVM, to improve Android’s environment isolation for better security and maintainability.
Compatibility with Linux applications (GNU compatibility)
In May 2018, Google announced it would make Linux desktop applications available on Chromebooks via a virtual machine code-named "Crostini". ChromeOS, which runs on Chromebooks, is already based on the Linux kernel, but it does not provide default support for applications that expect a GNU-based system. Crostini left the beta stage in May 2021 as part of release 91. Google maintains a list of devices that were launched before 2019, which support Crostini.Design
Initial hardware partners for Chromebook development included Acer, Adobe, Asus, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Intel, Samsung, Dell, LG, NEC, and Sharp; the latter three manufacturers were only available in their home countries.Chromebooks ship with ChromeOS, an operating system that uses the Linux kernel and the Google Chrome web browser with an integrated media-player. Enabling developer mode allows the installation of Linux distributions and other operating systems on Chromebooks. Chromebooks also include a screw or switch directly on the motherboard to enable or disable write protection. Crouton is a script that allows the installation of Linux distributions from ChromeOS and running both operating systems simultaneously. Some Chromebooks include SeaBIOS, which can be enabled to install and boot Linux distributions directly. With limited offline capability and a fast boot time, Chromebooks are primarily designed for use while connected to the Internet and signed in to a Google account. Instead of installing traditional applications that propose risk of malware, users install web apps from the Chrome Web Store. Google claims that a multi-layer security architecture eliminates the need for anti-virus software.
Support for many Bluetooth and USB devices such as cameras, mice, external keyboards and flash drives is included, utilizing a feature similar to plug-and-play on other operating systems.
All Chromebooks, except the first three, boot with the help of Coreboot, a fast-booting BIOS.
Google supports new Chromebooks made since 2021 with automatic updates for at least 10 years. Previously, Chromebooks were supported 8 years, while they were initially supported for 6.5 years. The date when a device will stop receiving automatic software and security updates can be found in the "Additional info" section of the "About device" in the device settings. Google maintains an Auto Update policy listing ChromeOS makes and models with their auto update expiration dates.
The hardware generation and Linux kernel version of most products can be inferred from the code name and its corresponding video game series:
| Architecture | Game series | Characters |
| Bay Trail | Donkey Kong | Rambi, Swanky, Quawks,... |
| Haswell | Star Fox | Slippy, Falco, Peppy,... |
| Broadwell | Final Fantasy X | Auron, Paine, Yuna, Rikku,... |
Form factors
Chromebooks are available from OEMs in various form factors :- Chromebook in laptop form factor.
- Chromebook tablet, introduced in March 2018 by Acer, the Chromebook Tab 10. The device was to compete with the lower-priced Apple iPad tablet in the education market.
- Chromebox, an ultra small form-factor desktop PC first introduced by Samsung in May 2012.
- Chromebase, an all-in-one desktop PC was introduced by LG Electronics in January 2014.
- Chromebit, an HDMI stick PC introduced by Asus in April 2015. However, as of 2019, OEMs do not currently manufacture this form factor.
Sales and marketing
Google's early marketing efforts relied primarily on hands-on experience: giving away Samsung machines to 10 Cr-48 pilot program participants along with the title Chromebook Guru and lending Chromebooks to passengers on some Virgin America flights.
At the end of September 2011, Google launched the Chrome Zone, a "store within a store", inside the Currys and PC World superstore in London. The store had a Google-style look and feel with splashes of color all around the retail store front. The concept was later changed to a broader in-store Google shop, which has not expanded beyond the PC World on Tottenham Court Road.
In addition to these marketing strategies, Google Chrome has created several "Chromebook minis" that demonstrate the ease of use and simplicity of the devices in a comical manner. For example, when the question "How do you back up a Chromebook" is asked, it is implied to refer to data backup, but instead, shows two hands pushing a Chromebook back to the end of a table. This is followed by the statement, "You don't have to back up a Chromebook," showing how all data is stored on the web.
In an article published on ZDNet in June 2011, entitled "Five Chromebook concerns for businesses", Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols faulted the devices for lack of virtual private network capability, not supporting some Wi-Fi security methods, in particular Wi-Fi Protected Access II Enterprise with Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security or Cisco's Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol. He also noted that its file manager does not work, the need to use the undocumented crosh shell to accomplish basic tasks such as setting up a secure shell network connection as well as serious deficiencies in documentation.
In one of the first customer reviews, the city of Orlando, Florida, reported on their initial testing of 600 Chromebooks as part of a broader study related to accessing virtual desktops. Early indications show potential value in reducing IT support costs. End users have indicated that the Chromebook is easy to travel with and starts up quickly. One stated that "If I just need to stay connected for emergencies, I take my Chrome," but when traveling for business she would still take her laptop. Orlando does plan to continue to use the Chromebooks.
On November 21, 2011, Google announced price reductions on all Chromebooks. Since then, the Wi-Fi-only Samsung Series 5 was reduced to $349, the 3G Samsung Series 5 was reduced to $449, and the Acer AC700 was reduced to $299.
The updated Series 5 550 and the Chromebox, the first ChromeOS desktop machines, were released by Samsung in May 2012. While the two lowest cost Chromebooks emerged later in the fall: the $249 Samsung Series 3 and the $199 Acer C7. The following February, Google introduced the most expensive machine, their Chromebook Pixel, with a starting price of $1299. All models released after May 2012, include 100 GB–1.09 TB of Google Drive cloud storage and 12 GoGo Wi-Fi passes.
By January 2013, Acer's Chromebook sales were being driven by "heavy Internet users with educational institutions", and the platform represented 5–10 percent of the company's US shipments, according to Acer president Jim Wong. He called those numbers sustainable, contrasting them with low Windows 8 sales which he blamed for a slump in the market. Wong said that the company would consider marketing Chromebooks to other developed countries, as well as to corporations. He noted that although ChromeOS is free to license for hardware vendors, it has required greater marketing expenditure than Windows, offsetting the licensing savings.
During the first 11 months of 2013, 1.76 million Chromebooks sold in the United States, representing 21% of the US commercial business-to-business laptop market. During the same period in 2012, Chromebooks sold 400,000 units and had a negligible market share.
In January 2015, Silviu Stahie noted in Softpedia that Chromebooks were eating into Microsoft's market share. He said "Microsoft is engaged in a silent war and it's actually losing. They are fighting an enemy that is so insidious and so cunning that it's actually hurting the company more than anything else. The enemy is called Chromebooks and they are using Linux...There is no sign that things are slowing down and Microsoft really needs a win, and soon if it wants to remain relevant."
In 2015, Chromebooks, by sales volume, are second after Windows based devices : "Chromebook sales through the U.S. B2B channels increased 43 percent during the first half of 2015, helping to keep overall B2B PC and tablet sales from falling. Sales of Google OS-equipped devices saw a 29 percent increase over 2014 propelled by Chromebook sales, while Apple devices declined 12 percent and Windows devices fell 8 percent."
As of October 28, 2024 Lenovo Chromebook N23 Intel Celeron is the cheapest Chromebook in the world.
In 2020, Chromebooks outsold Apple Macs for the first time by taking market share from laptops running Microsoft Windows. This rise is attributed to the platform's success in the education market.