Google Chromebook outsells MacBooks and Android tablets in US

Does Google's web-tethered device point the way to the future of laptops?

Google Chromebooks now account for almost 10 per cent of US commercial computer device sales, putting Google's device ahead of Apple notebooks and Android tablets in terms of sales.

The figures, released by market research firm NPD Group, suggest that 9.6 per cent of US sales in the "commercial devices channel" were Chromebooks - a slimmed-down laptop that is heavily dependent on a Wi-Fi connection to run most of of its Google-based cloud applications.

The figure accounts for the period of January to November 2013, and compares to only 0.2 per cent of sales in the equivalent 2012 window.

In that time, Apple's iPad has dipped from a market share of 17.1 per cent to 15.8 per cent, according to NPD, while the market share of Android tablets has risen from 4.2 per cent to 8.7 per cent.

At the same time, the humble desktop has slipped from 32.3 per cent to 27.8 per cent of sales, with Windows-based notebooks down from 42.9 per cent in 2012 to 34.1 per cent in 2013.

Windows tablets have also risen in popularity, albeit from 0.8 per cent in 2012 to a still pretty meagre 2.2 per cent in 2013.

Driven entirely by the Chrome browser - on which the system's OS is based - Google's Chromebook requires an internet connection to be of much use.

This used to put many people off the device, but the rise of similarly web-dependent tablets and the increasing affordability and availability of high-speed broadband have made users much more comfortable with the concept.

Meanwhile, Chromebook's relatively low price point - around £200 for most Acer or Samsung models - and traditional keyboard-based form factor make it an attractive option for everyday office tasks.

All in all, 2014 could be the year the notebook bounces back.