Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, expects netbooks running the upcoming Google Chrome OS to be competitively priced between $300 to $400 dollars. In a YouTube video found by Tech Rader, Schmidt says:

“Those prices are completely determined by the costs of the glass, the costs of the processor and things like that.. but in our case Chrome OS and Android are free so there is no software tax associated with all of this.”

Sorry Schmidt but do you know what the average selling price of netbooks are these days? A netbook in the $399 price range is typically considered a “high-end netbook”. In fact most Windows 7-powered netbooks are actually below $350, with many close to the $300 dollar price point. Thus unless there’s something super extraordinary with a Google Chrome OS netbook, one would expect these netbooks to be available below the $300 dollar barrier.

Additionally, Schmidt expects Chrome OS netbooks to be available from mobile phone carriers on a subsidized basis but good luck convincing the average Joe to pick one up via that route.

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