Google's Chromebooks surpassed Apple's Mac in terms of shipment in the United States in the first quarter of 2016 and analyst is attributing this Google win to Chromebook's affordability.

At Google I/O in California on May 18–20, market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) revealed that Chromebooks overtook Macs in terms of shipments in the United States. Linn Huang, IDC Research Director, Devices & Displays, told The Verge that such is attributed to the Chromebook's popularity in the education sector, specifically, as a preferred laptop by those in the K-12 program because of its cheaper price and user-friendly interface. One can purchase a Chromebook for as low as $85 and they can easily provide access and run web-based applications.

Huang also told CNNMoney, "Cost is but one reason they are winning there. Google has also done a fantastic job building out a compelling management console that makes these devices easy to deploy and manage in a school setting. I'd argue, that has been the biggest driver of their growth as opposed to the low price."

In a press release, IDC revealed that in the United States, Apple's Mac shipped almost 1.8 million units, although it did not share the specific numbers for Chromebooks. It may be noted, though, that Chromebooks are manufactured by a lot of companies like Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, while Apple is the sole producer of Macs.

Given the trend, Huang did relay in IDC press release that Google should really take advantage of its current edge in the education sector, because owning that market right now is the key to increase in shipment numbers for the conglomerate.

Several reports agree that Google might just be on the right track, especially after announcing during the Google I/O that it will soon be incorporating Google Play in its Chrome devices.

However, the IDC press release also showed that while Google and Apple continue to battle in its production and shipment, the overall global PC shipment has actually declined, with Europe showcasing the biggest loss in shipment numbers.