Apple used to rule the educational computer market, but now it seems the company no longer cares.
How Apple Lost Its Magic
HP and Lenovo just announced new laptops and tablets for education. Chromebooks have taken over schools, ousting iPads. Meanwhile, the cheapest Mac laptop costs a thousand dollars. Apple offers some specific services for education, as well as educational discounts, but the strategy seems to be the same as for business: “Our products are so good, you can just buy them and use them for your school/business/university, just like a regular customer.” So why are Chromebooks taking over?
“As more schools move to distance learning, hybrid learning, blended learning, and full-time online learning, Apple devices are lagging in K-12 education because broader devices like Chromebooks are Google For Education-ready and very simple and cost-effective for schools to deploy quickly,” Melissa McBride, founder of Sofia, an online education specialist in London, told Lifewire via email.
HP’s new Fortis series includes Windows laptops and Chromebooks. They have reinforced corners, are designed to survive drops from a child’s height, and can even withstand liquids on the keyboard. They offer 4G LTE connectivity, touchscreens with pens, and a thick, grippy surface.