It also signals to app and game developers that Chrome OS can no longer be ignored. This is a big win for Google and a warning for both Apple and Microsoft.

(We also contacted Gartner but that firm does not include Chromebooks in its traditional PC market results.) But when we went looking to see how the pandemic may have impacted the PC market, IDC analyst Mike Shirer confirmed the findings to GeekWire. The milestone is based on numbers provided by IDC, which doesn’t typically break out sales based on device operating system. Microsoft’s Windows still retained majority market share, but also took a big hit as both Chrome OS and macOS gained share.

Computers powered by Google’s Chrome OS have outsold Apple’s computers in individual quarters before, but 2020 was the first full year that Chrome OS took second place. New numbers show 2020 was the first year that Chromebooks outsold Macs, posting impressive market share gains at the expense of Windows. Google-Dell Chromebook Enterprise devices.

Windows vs mac os percentage