A Chromebook is a laptop running Chrome OS as its operating system. The devices are designed to be used primarily while connected to the Internet, with most applications and data residing in "the cloud". A Chromebook is an example of a thin client.[1][2][3]
The first Chromebooks for sale, by Acer Inc. and Samsung, began shipping on June 15, 2011.[4] In addition to laptop models, a desktop version, called a Chromebox, was introduced in May 2012, and an "all-in-one" device was introduced in January 2014, by LG Electronics.
Chromebooks are primarily sold both directly from Google and from the company's retail partners. By 2012, schools had become the largest category of customer. That October, Google broadened its marketing strategy to include first-time computer users and households seeking an additional computer.
In October 2012, Simon Phipps, writing in InfoWorld, said, "The Chromebook line is probably the most successful Linux desktop/laptop computer we've seen to date".[5] From January to November 2013, 1.76 million Chromebooks were sold in U.S. business-to-business channels.[6]
At Google I/O 2016, it was announced that Android applications would be available to run on supported Chromebooks, via the Google Play Store, by the end of August 2016 that will result in having two app stores in Chrome OS.[7]
