Chromebook sales overtook Macs for the first time in 2020

Chromebooks accounted for 10.8% of total PC shipments last year.

What you need to know

• As per latest data from IDC, Chromebooks outsold Macs in worldwide sales for the first time in 2020.
• Chrome OS' worldwide market share reached 10.8% in 2020, up from 6.4% in 2019.
• While macOS witnessed a marginal 0.8% rise in its market share, Windows' share fell 4.9% YoY.

Chromebooks outsold Macs worldwide for the first time in 2020, according to data released by IDC (via Geekwire).

While Chrome OS was marginally behind macOS in Q1 2020, it received a big boost in Q2 due to the pandemic, allowing it to capture 10% of the worldwide market. Chrome OS' market share increased further to 11.5% in Q3 2020 and reached 14.4% in Q4. macOS, on the other hand, started at 5.8% in Q1 and hit 7.7% in Q4.

The full-year numbers from IDC reveal Chrome OS' market share went up from 6.4% in 2019 to 10.8% in 2020. Apple's macOS, on the other hand, saw its worldwide market share increase from 6.7% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2020. Since both macOS and Chrome OS gained market share in 2020, Windows' market share tumbled 4.9% YoY to 80.5%.

Needless to say, the COVID-19 pandemic played an important role in making Chromebooks a lot more popular in 2020. As work-from-home and study-from-home became the new normal due to the pandemic, demand for affordable laptops grew significantly. However, it remains to be seen if Chrome OS can continue growing at the same pace in the future.

Microsoft is well aware of Chrome OS' growing appeal and is working on a new OS called Windows 10X for devices designed for business and education. The first single-screen devices running Windows 10X are expected to arrive this Spring to take on the best Chromebooks.