View from the Labs
Desperately seeking pluses
Last year, Google launched its Chromebook Plus initiative, creating a higher tier of Chromebooks. These, Google promised, could do so much more, whether that’s handling demanding apps or exploring the exciting new world of AI. It brought Acer, Asus, HP and Lenovo on board, and even threw in some perks and bonus features. And this, Google promised, was just the start! We’d get even more cool AI features as time went on.
Well, six months later, something appears to have gone awry. On the one hand, I’m unsure all the Chromebook Plus models really belong on this higher plane. Some are clearly existing budget or mid-range Chromebooks with the new branding and software slapped on. At least four are based on CPUs that – arguably – aren’t up to handling more challenging scenarios and apps.
Despite Google’s efforts, manufacturers seem reluctant to bet big on innovative and stylish designs with premium features. Instead, they’re sticking to the pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap sales model.
And where are those promised cool features? When all the hype appeared about Chromebook Plus and its integrated AI features, I expected more than a couple of video call enhancements, a bunch of free software and trial services and some screensavers. So far, there’s little sign of AI becoming the Chromebook’s killer app.
That’s a shame, as there’s still encouraging evidence that Chromebooks can be great all-round computers. But if Google wants to steal market share from rivals, then it needs to give its users something tangible that will seriously improve their experience of Chrome OS.