In a Quiet Market for PCs, Chromebooks are Marching Steadily Forward

It's no secret that Chrome OS has not been the same striking success for Google that the Android OS has been. And yet, Chromebooks--portable computers running the platform--have not only found their niche, but they are also introducing a new generation to cloud computing. Chromebooks are firmly entrenched in the education market, where many young users have become used to the convention of storing apps and data in the cloud.

Now, according to new research from Gartner, Chromebooks are ready to hit new milestones. Analysts there report that Chromebook shipment growth will be in the double digits this year. At the same time, though, Chromebooks have not become fixtures in the enterprise, replacing Windows PCs.

 According to a Gartner report:

"Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) are expected to reach 2.4 billion units in 2016 , a 1.9 percent increase from 2015."

 That is certainly not spectacular growth, but Chromebook shipments will jump by about 18 percent this year compared to 2015, according to Gartner. That's nothing to shake a stick at. Chromebooks should especially continue to sell well in North America, where 90 percent of the units were shipped in 2015, researchers report.

If you haven't looked into Chromebooks, or if you previously wrote them off due to the immaturity of Chrome OS, look again. They were among the top selling portable devices last holiday season.

Many kids going back to school would be happy to get a Chromebook, and they are much more flexible now than they were before. And, Google is offering many incentives with Chromebooks, including, in many cases, free storage in the cloud and other perks.