Google expanding Chromebook availibility to nine new markets (update)

Since the very first CR-48 rolled off the assembly line, Google has billed its Chromebook platform as reliable but affordable alternative to buying a traditional laptop. Today, the company expanded on this idea by revealing plans to bring its next-gen netbook to nine new territories. Residents of New Zealand, the Philippines, Norway, Denmark, Mexico, Chile, Belgium, Spain and Italy will soon have access to Google’s Chrome OS-powered platform.

While today’s announcement didn’t discuss things like specific products or price points, Mountain View did remind us that Chromebooks are made by various partners like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and Toshiba, so availability will probably be determined by a manufacturer’s reach in each market. But just to be on the safe side, we’ve reached out to Google for more details and will update this news article if any new information becomes available.

Update: A Google spokesperson advised us that Chromebook models available in these new markets will vary by location, however the Acer C720, C720P, HP Chromebook, HP Chromebook 14 and Toshiba Chromebook 13 will be among the first wave of devices in this launch. As for retailers, Google has provided us with a list of participating merchants per country: