From DailyTech: Seemingly out of nowhere Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Chrome OS -- a Linux-kernel based personal computer operating system -- has emerged as a dominant force in the PC market.
According to market share data from the NPD Group Inc. -- a top market research group -- this year has been a rough year for Apple, Inc. (AAPL) in terms of market share, and a mixed year for Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Windows platfrom. 2013 was a year of unbelieveable growth, as Google's Chrome OS-powered "Chromebooks" emerged as the first compelling mass-market Windows alternative on the budget end in decades, inheriting the legacy of the netbook.
Between Jan. and Nov. 2013 Chromebooks accounted for 9.6 percent share of U.S. sales of all tablets, notebooks, and desktop personal computers combined. On a year-to-year basis Chromebooks grew 47-fold in sales, a mind-boggling explosion.
That number contrasts harshly with Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) laptop market share trends, which saw a drop from 2.6 to 1.8 percent in the traditional PC market (notebooks + desktops).
While tablets continue to fill an increasing role in Americans' electronic lives, both in terms of work and play, the traditional PC (notebooks, desktops) is as relevant as ever in 2013.
Apple was never able to muster a true challenge to the coalition of Windows PC OEMs (at least with regards to market share), leaving Windows free to enjoy hegemony of this crucial market for years. By contrast Chrome OS seems to have broken through, with Chromebooks now accounting for roughly one in five laptop sales this year. Key to this surge has been support from OEMs that were once Windows exclusive or nearly Windows exclusive.
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