Clash of the Titans – Chromebook vs Apple vs Windows 10

Monday, June 19, 2017 by Cyber Acoustics

They’ve all been counted out. They’ve all been on top. They’ve all been in between. The tech titan triumvirate of Google, Microsoft and Apple continue to grapple with each other in the never-ending battle for EdTech supremacy. 

As the pendulum has swung back and forth between the three giants of the tech industry over the years, all three are pushing their chips to the middle of the table. After all – at stake could be billions of dollars.

With more and more school districts putting devices into the hands of students, and many closing in on the tech goliaths’ dreams of one device per child, the battle to have their product be the one that makes it into each classroom takes on even larger importance. Not only is every classroom they gain access to a short-term win, but it builds brand loyalty in students at a critical juncture of their development, and influences their buying decisions, along with those of their families, as they grow up.

So, while it’s obvious why the tech companies want their products in the hands of students, we also have to look at it from the other point of view – if you’re the person responsible for your school's or district’s tech purchases, which one do you go with? It’s not only a massive financial decision, but one that will impact your students daily. There are pros and cons to each, and it’s important to find out which product will best suit your school’s needs.

Where to start?

In the early days of EdTech, Microsoft was king. But in the last decade they were knocked off the top of the mountain. First, Apple released the iPad along with its iOS system which then became trendy for tech-savvy classrooms. Not satisfied being left out, Google exploded onto the scene in recent years with its cost-effective Chromebook.

As this TechCrunch article notes, after initially being derided, the Chromebook now holds a wide lead over their competitors: “…with Google commanding 58 percent of U.S. K-12 schools. Windows is in second with around 22 percent, and the combined impact of MacOS and iOS are close behind at 19 percent. It’s a rapidly shifting landscape. Three years earlier, Apple’s products represented nearly half of devices being shipped to U.S. classrooms.”

Is the cost alone worth it for your school to use Google, or is Microsoft or Apple the better option? Here’s our take on each:

Google Chromebooks
So, what did Google do to get so big, so fast? Cost is the first thing you can point to. Available for under $200, Chromebooks came in cheaper than their competitors, and being a Google product, it had the name recognition so people knew they weren’t getting a fly-by-night product.

But Chromebooks succeeded for more reasons than just the cost. With a physical keyboard, instead of just the touchpad, it could be used for standardized testing, which iPads cannot. In addition, while digital note taking is on the rise, there will always be people who prefer typing on a keyboard, giving the Chromebook a boost in that category.

They also have concrete success stories to point to. As Google paired their Chromebooks with the popular G Suite education cloud platform, schools reported seeing higher test scores and greater student collaboration. This all comes on the heels of Google Classroom, a system many teachers adopted early on as it organized tasks and forms, and could serve as a classroom hub.

Google is currently on top, and has the most affordable option. But is it a no-brainer? Well, not if you ask their competitors in Cupertino, CA.

Apple
As mentioned earlier, it was only a couple years ago that Apple was the industry leader in EdTech, and it’s not a stretch to see a scenario where that could happen again.

Responding to the Chromebook undercutting the iPad in the pricing department, Apple has reduced the price of the iPad Air 2. Although, at $379, it is still significantly more than the Chromebook.

But for anyone who can look past the cost issue, there are definite benefits to trusting one's EdTech needs to Apple. Getting into the Apple app store is a main goal of virtually all app developers, meaning the latest advancements are geared with Apple in mind. The app store boasts thousands of education-based programs, with more arriving all the time. And since Apple reviews apps before making them available, there is a trust factor there among teachers and parents.

The Apple ecosystem is second to none, a fact that Apple executives tout in any discussion about their educational efforts. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook famously dismissed Chromebooks as “test machines”. Whether that’s fair or not, Apple’s greater cost does also come with a larger environment to draw educational material from.

Windows 10
While Microsoft is still an industry leader in the U.S. workforce, it’s lagged behind its competitors in education in recent years. However, in early May they signaled that they’re looking to change that with an announcement of a major reinvestment in their education efforts with Windows 10S, a cloud-based version of the popular OS.

A big part of the shift was looking toward each of their competitors and tying in the best of both worlds. While employing some of the usability of the Chromebooks for their Surface laptops, they’re incorporating an Apple-style app store that will only include apps approved by Microsoft.

In addition, recognizing that many schools don’t have IT departments and that teachers are sometimes left to their own devices (no pun intended), they're making their OS as easy to use as possible so educators can spend less time working through bugs and more time, well, teaching.

It also bears noting that Microsoft scored big points with the release of Minecraft: Education Edition. Available in 50 countries and in 11 languages, it’s an educational version of the original Minecraft that has taken youth culture by storm. Certainly, having that kind of brand recognition with such a popular game will only boost their prospects.

Benefits to the Learning Experience

For those in charge of EdTech purchases, the vast amount of information to consider and consume may often feel like trying to take a sip of water from a firehose. However, the different options on the market end up benefiting students and teachers. With three competitors going to head to head, it breeds innovation as there’s no room for complacency. Even if one company finds success, they must keep building on it to maintain their position. That innovation gives teachers and students more tools at their disposal.

And of course, there’s the cost elements. While these devices represent a heavy expenditure for school districts, Google, Apple and Microsoft’s never-ending battle means prices aren’t artificially inflated. With no company holding a monopoly, all three are forced to keep their costs competitive to not price themselves out of a budget-conscious market.

Cyber Acoustics Can Help

When it comes to purchasing EdTech devices, Cyber Acoustics can help protect whatever you choose. We have protective cases for iPads, Chromebooks, Surface tablets and more. They’re drop-tested on concrete and will ensure that your K-12 investment remains safe. Plus, our industry-proven headsets and headphones are compatible with these devices as well, and have been the #1 choice by schools across the country for more than 20 years.

Contact us to help outfit your school's devices and provide your students with the best possible EdTech experience. Check out our product catalogs.