> It's quite believable that Android/ChromeOS will take over the netbook market by being cheaper than Windows
Every store I visit the cheapest laptop-like devices are windows 10 devices, 20-30$ cheaper than chrome os devices. Android ones certainly exist, but only start at roughly double the price of cheap windows 10 machines.
Those windows 10 machines aren't even bad. If you need office + browser they work pretty well.
Just checking today on Amazon:
Cheapest chromebook: 161.99 (and that's the Asus C201, as in STAY AWAY). Cheapest vaguely reasonable chromebook ~210
Cheapest windows 10 laptop: 164.89. This one is actually usable. Screen resolution being the biggest minus point.
Cheapest android "laptop": 165, and this is not something you want. Cheapest one you do want: ~$300. There are cheaper android laptops, but they're chinese duplicates you do not want.
Outside of the US, windows 10 laptops win by a mug bigger margin.
Agreed. Right now, I think much of that would be explained by existing contracts and volume – the Windows devices are shipping in much larger quantities whereas the Android faux-laptops have tended to be curiosities rather than serious ventures.
I think if Google continues to be willing to subsidize Android development at a loss to maintain marketshare, that could change if Microsoft isn't willing to lower the price for a consumer copy of Windows to zero. Anyone who remembers the 90s knows that Microsoft is unlikely to make it that easy.
Every store I visit the cheapest laptop-like devices are windows 10 devices, 20-30$ cheaper than chrome os devices. Android ones certainly exist, but only start at roughly double the price of cheap windows 10 machines.
Those windows 10 machines aren't even bad. If you need office + browser they work pretty well.
Just checking today on Amazon:
Cheapest chromebook: 161.99 (and that's the Asus C201, as in STAY AWAY). Cheapest vaguely reasonable chromebook ~210
Cheapest windows 10 laptop: 164.89. This one is actually usable. Screen resolution being the biggest minus point.
Cheapest android "laptop": 165, and this is not something you want. Cheapest one you do want: ~$300. There are cheaper android laptops, but they're chinese duplicates you do not want.
Outside of the US, windows 10 laptops win by a mug bigger margin.