Asustek Computer Inc (華碩電腦), the world’s No. 5 PC brand, yesterday made public its ambition of seizing at least a 10 percent share of the non-iPad tablet market next year, which would round off to between 1 million and 1.5 million shipments.
“[We aim to] achieve a double-digit market share of the non-Apple platform in 2011. The non-Apple tablet units could be 10 million to 15 million next year, based on the current available research and estimates,” a statement from the company said.
Analysts have expected Apple Inc to ship as many as 40 million iPads next year, up from this year’s 15 million.
The remaining tablet market of 10 million to 15 million units will be split by a dozen other competitors, including Samsung Electronics Co, Research in Motion Ltd, Acer Inc (宏碁), HTC Corp (宏達電).
Asustek’s larger rival, Acer, currently the world’s No. 3 PC brand, is aiming for a 30 percent share of the non-iPad tablet market next year.
In addition to Android and Windows Mobile platforms, the company has a third project running on the MeeGo platform, Acer’s sources told the Taipei Times last month.
Asustek will formally unveil its first batch of tablets in next month’s Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Meanwhile, Asustek has internally set an aggressive target to ship up to 25 million notebooks next year, higher than the 20 million figure it made public, a company source said.
The higher goal was set after the company held a three-day global sales meeting in Taipei that concluded yesterday. Asustek top executives evaluated the performance of various divisions for the year and drew up new goals for next year during the meeting.
Twenty-five million units would represent 48 percent growth from this year’s shipments of 16.9 million.
The company, which is gearing up to become the world’s No. 4 PC brand next year, is also eyeing China for notebook growth.
It is currently the No. 3 notebook player in China and it would dedicate more resources to develop its presence in the booming market to become No. 2 next year, the source said.
Asustek yesterday also announced that it aims for 5 percent growth in motherboard shipments next year.
“With our pricing power, brand premium and scale advantage in the motherboard industry, we expect to achieve steady market share gains, stable pricing and a strong margin profile together in 2011,” the Asustek statement read.
However, the firm did not disclose its smartphone target for next year.
Starting next month, the company will officially scrap its co-brand strategy with portable navigation devices maker Garmin Ltd, No. 1 in the US, after attempts to lure users with Garmin’s -location-based services failed.
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