Acer Inc, the world’s third-largest PC maker, launched its first ultra low-cost notebook computer at Computex Taipei yesterday, jumping on the mini-laptop bandwagon.
The company’s move came after local rival Asustek Computer Inc (華碩電腦) overtook Sony Corp as the world’s No. 8 PC maker in the first quarter of this year, benefiting from soaring sales of its ultra low-cost Eee PC family.
The world’s top PC vendor, Hewlett Packard Co, unveiled its MiniNote earlier this year.
PHOTO: WALLY SANTANA, AP
“It [the low-cost laptop] will reboot the growth of the whole PC industry, which grew slowly in recent years because of the limited growth in new users,” Acer chairman Wang Jeng-tang (王振堂) told a press briefing in Taipei.
About 15 percent to 20 percent of notebook computer shipments worldwide next year would be low-cost notebooks, Wang said.
“People just love this new form factor,” Wang said. “Customers placed bigger orders than we expected. Our supply is unable to match customer demand.”
Acer aims to ship 5 million to 7 million low-cost notebooks this year and many more next year as it targets emerging markets and developed countries, Wang said.
Acer also aims to ship 25 million standard notebook computers this year, he said.
Acer will ship the first batch of Acer Aspire One notebooks to customers later this month, he said.
Less than a year ago, Wang voiced doubts about the low-priced laptop with a 7-inch liquid-crystal-display (LCD) screen first launched by Asustek. It was priced at under US$200.
Acer Aspire One will cost at least US$399. It has an 8.9-inch LED screen, Linux operating system and runs Intel Corp’s latest Atom processor.
Meanwhile, Asustek launched two new members of its Eee PC family, an 8.9 inch screen model and 10 inch model, both with a battery life of up to 7.8 hours. Both run on the Atom chip and will go on sale later this month.
Asustek president Jerry Shen (沈振來) said shipments of the Eee PC series may double to 10 million units next year from 5 million this year.
To reach that goal, Asustek will fight to retain 35 percent of the global low-cost PC market, down from 50 percent this year, said Samson Hu (胡書賓), an Asustek general manger in charge of the Eee PC series.
Global sales of ultra low-cost laptops may expand to at least 25 million to 30 million units next year, Hu said, citing the company’s own estimates.
Market researcher International Data Corp (IDC), however, was more conservative. Low-cost notebook shipments will grow to 8 million units this year and to 9 million in 2012, compared with 500,000 units last year, IDC said.
“New products, high-tech gadgets in particular, do not guarantee new business opportunities, as history shows. It will take more time to monitor the development of low-cost PCs,” IDC PC industry analyst Dickie Chang (張祐昌) said.
One major challenge was price, Chang said, because people can buy a standard entry-level laptop for US$500.
IDC was concerned about the manufacturers’ margins for low-cost PCs, although Asustek said the gross margin of the Eee PC family was quite good at about 10 percent to 15 percent, he said.
Supplies of Intel’s Atom processor are tight and might not be eased until the third quarter of the year, he said.
Intel is using Computex to show off notebook PCs from a variety of vendors that are powered by its Atom processors.
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