ZD Tech: Chromebook fashion, it's over - ZDNET

Hello everyone and welcome to the ZD Tech, the daily editorial podcast of Zdnet. Je m’appelle Guillaume Serries et aujourd’hui, je vous explique pourquoi la mode des Chromebook, c'est fini.And why this delights computers.

They were predicted revolutionary, and here they are skating.Chromebook computers are no longer fashionable.

But before going further, I have to explain the specificity of these computers really not like the others.

The specificity of Chromebook

These computers are equipped with the Chrome OS operating system, not Windows, MacOS or Linux Distribution.

In addition, the software and applications that you usually use on your computer are not necessarily available on a Chromebook.Or in any case not the same way.

For example, the Office office suite cannot be installed on this computer.You must use Office 365, the web version of this very popular tool, accessible only via a browser.

ZD Tech : La mode des Chromebook, c'est fini - ZDNet

Finally, these computers are generally sold cheaper than conventional laptops.And that is very important to understand the continuation.

Free fall sales

It must be said that it is the education sector that is the most fond of Chromebook.With the implementation of distance courses due to the pandemic, the demand has exploded for two years.

But after five quarters of continuous growth, sales of Chromebook are now in free fall.Of the six computers of computers who offer these models, only Samsung now ensures having growing sales.HP, Acer or Lenovo see their sales of Chromebook sombre.

According to analyst IDC, Chromebook deliveries fell 29.8 % in the third quarter of 2021, compared to last year.

A saturated market...but not only

The reason ?The main markets come to saturation.This quarter, it only sold 6.5 million chromebook per world.But saturation does not explain everything.

IDC also points to the current shortage of components to explain a reduction in the offer from manufacturers.Yes, because computers manufacturers do not lose northern.Because the production of Chromebook draws the margins downwards.These are computers that are sold for inexpensive, we have seen it.And so, computers manufacturers prefer to use the few semiconductors they have at the moment to sell at much higher prices of conventional PCs, whose demand is still not running out of steam.

The glass ceiling of the Chromebook is therefore partly maintained by the manufacturers of computers, delighted to improve their margins with other computers, sold much more expensive.