Chromebook Shipments Could Rise 200% in 2013

Google's GOOG Chromebook platform could receive a major shipment boost in the latter half of 2013. According to DigiTimes, Hewlett-Packard HPQ, Acer, Samsung SSNLF and Lenovo will launch new Chromebooks within the next five months. With the release of these products, Samsung will reportedly increase its shipments by as much as 300 percent. Acer is expected to raise its shipments by 200 percent. HP and Lenovo will increase their shipments as well. Altogether, this could amount to a shipment increase ranging from 100 to 200 percent. While Google has yet to confirm these figures, the company is thought to be looking for any way to capitalize on the user complaints toward Windows 8. The new operating system is already in the hands of more than 100 million individuals, but consumers continue to complain about the changes, including the initial removal of the Start button. Consumers may be frustrated with Windows 8, but that does not mean they will suddenly become more interested in Chromebooks. Thus far, Chromebook sales have been sluggish at best. In March it was reported (though still not confirmed) that the various Chromebook manufacturers had collectively sold fewer than 500,000 units. One month later, another report suggested that Chromebook sales may be even lower than that previous estimate. Google could dispel the rumors by releasing some official sales figures, but if they are anywhere near what has been reported, the company is likely to remain silent. Corporations do not typically promote the sales of products that fall below expectations. This is why Microsoft MSFT has been quick to boast about how fast Windows 8 is selling despite the complaints. At the same time, the company has said very little about how well the Surface RT is performing. Similarly, Apple AAPL has chosen not to distinguish between sales of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S. Instead, the company combines the sales of all iPhones into one lump sum. This allows the Mac maker to focus on the overall number of devices sold, which is far greater than the sales would be for any one particular model. It also gives Apple the ability to hide the fact that one model may have underperformed. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ