Google has inched past rivals Microsoft and Apple when it comes to the educational technology space thanks to its Chromebook. The Google Chromebook now accounts for over 50 percent of the lucrative educational tech space in the U.S.
According to data from a Futuresource Consulting report cited by NBC, Chromebooks now encompass over half the devices that are deployed in classrooms across the U.S. This is a colossal increase for the device and speaks volumes of its progress as in 2012, Chromebooks only accounted for less than a percent of the gadgets used in education.
The leapfrogging of Chromebooks has confounded even analysts.
"While it was clear that Chromebooks had made progress in education, this news is, frankly, shocking. Chromebooks made incredibly quick inroads in just a couple of years, leaping over Microsoft and Apple with seeming ease," said J.P. Gownder, analyst with Forrester.
Per the report, in 2015, 8.9 million devices were purchased by school districts K-12 and schools in the U.S. Of this number, 4.4 million devices purchased were Google's Chromebooks, which translates to 30,000 new Chromebooks being deployed each school day.
By contrast, in this three-year time frame, Microsoft and Apple saw its market share nose-diving to 24 percent (from 43 percent) and 24 percent (from 52 percent), respectively.
The numbers are reflective of the phenomenal growth Google has experienced in this short passage of time.
"It's been amazing to us to see that growth happen just in that short amount of time," revealed Google's Rajen Sheth.
What has potentially worked in Google's favor is that its Chromebook is priced competitively and is quite affordable, especially given the value they pack in. The device is seen as value for money by the schools which are cash strapped.
Moreover, the devices are secure and can be managed with ease, allowing users to switch seamlessly. The Chromebooks also optimize software and educational content to aid web-based delivery, which stands the device in good stead and makes them cost effective.
