Chromebook shipments set to explode in second half

Google is capitalizing on Microsoft’s failure to revitalize the PC industry with Windows 8. While traditional PCs are having their worst year to date, shipments of Chromebooks are expected to double and in some cases triple in the second half of the year. According to a report from Digitimes, Chromebook orders from Acer will increase by three-fold while Samsung will raise its orders by 400%. HP and Lenovo are also expected to increase shipments from the first half of the year. Chromebooks are the fastest growing PC market segment, with offerings from Samsung and Acer capturing 20% to 25% of the sub-$300 PC market. The growth of Google’s low-cost laptops has also been noticed by other PC vendors such as ASUS, which will release its first Chromebook model later this year.