Google’s Chrome OS, which generated an extreme amount of hubbub, is a defensive move as much as it is an offensive one, say analysts. Nevertheless, Google’s move will have a wide impact on the industry.
If successful, Google’s entry into the market could represent a threat to Intel and x86, while opening the door to ARM-based competitors including Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Freescale, Nvidia, Marvell, and Broadcom. In our view, Intel’s dominance in the PC market has partly been predicated on the lack of viable substitute products for Microsoft’s Office applications.
To the extent that Google is successful in driving the adoption of Chrome OS and improving its suite of productivity applications, we think this could have significant implications for the semiconductor ecosystem…
The Chrome OS could be an avenue to boost use—and possibly revenue—of Google Apps. That said the popularity of Google Apps will directly impact the popularity of the Chrome OS, says Mitchell. To the extent that Google Apps are seen as a substitute for Microsoft Office the more likely the Chrome OS is adopted. That’s a key point.
However, let’s not get carried away. Today, Google Apps just isn’t a complete substitute for Microsoft Office. Google says that its apps beyond email and calendar need work and so do enterprises. Meanwhile, enterprises are wary of cloud apps and no one has tolerance for incompatibilities for that stray spreadsheet.
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