Microsoft, Apple lag behind Google in schools

San Francisco

MICROSOFT Corp's announcement of a suite of new education products on Tuesday shows the company's determination to reverse a major shift that has taken place in US classrooms in recent years: for most educators and school districts, Google's Chromebook is now the computer of choice.

The Chromebook has gone from a standing start in 2011 to wild popularity in the market for education technology, which tech companies have traditionally viewed as a critical way to win over the next generation of users.