The Google Chromebook, a type of stripped-down laptop, isn’t a practical mobile device for many people — mostly because it basically turns into an expensive paperweight whenever it can’t find a Wi-Fi connection.
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Yet Chromebooks have defied expectations and made major inroads in an unexpected environment — U.S. schools.
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In retrospect, that shouldn’t be too surprising. Chromebooks are cheap and easy to manage, making them popular with budget-constrained schools with limited tech-support staff. And Wi-Fi is now common enough in U.S. schools and homes to make an internet-dependent device practical for students.
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Google doesn’t want to stop there. It’s releasing new models in partnership with Samsung that are designed to appeal to a broader range of consumers. They have several tablet-like features, including a stylus, touch controls and a 360-degree hinge that allows you to turn the screen face-up. One starts selling Sunday for $449; a more powerful version comes out in April for $100 more.
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Google and its manufacturing partners are trying to shed the Chromebook’s perception as underperforming budget devices. But even with premium models, expanding beyond U.S. schools won’t be easy.
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Chromebooks Get Schooled
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For personal computers and tablets, Chromebook’s share of the U.S. education market was 49 percent last year, up from 40 percent in 2015 and 9 percent in 2013, according to IDC figures released this week.
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But education accounts for just 14 percent of the 110 million devices shipped in the U.S. last year — and Chromebooks make up just 9 percent of that broader total. Their numbers are also low abroad, even in schools.
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The Chromebook’s popularity in U.S. education is also largely limited to grades K-12, analysts say. Macs and Windows laptops are still dominant on college campuses.
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Rough Start
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Chromebooks use a lightweight operating system designed to get people online faster, without having to wait around for the computer to start…