New data shows that Chromebooks surpassed Mac computers for the first time in a full year in 2020, a year largely driven by the commercial demand for lightweight, powerful and affordable personal computers. Data from IDC (via GeekWire) shows that Windows continues to dominate the market, although its share has declined over the year, as the Chrome operating system has overtaken macOS in second place.
For the full year, Windows’ market share decreased by 4.9% in 2020 compared to 2019, while the Mac increased from 6.7% to 7.5%. IDC data includes collective information about desktops, laptops, and workstations, and does not provide a breakdown of different types of specific products. However, it is worth noting that the Chrome operating system includes products made by Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo.
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The demand for personal computers increased during 2020, largely due to the shift to work and home learning. Market data estimate that in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Mac grew by about 30% compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Compared to other manufacturers, Apple had the most significant increase from year to year in that quarter.
In addition to changes in the market due to changes in work and school models, the fourth quarter of 2020 also saw Apple launch its first Apple silicon Mac, which was very well received.