Notebook sales take lions' share of US market

Peter Dinham
Sunday, 02 August 2009 13:57

Business IT - Technology

Consumer demand for mobile computers remains strong in the US despite the severe economic downturn, with notebooks making up three out of four computers shipped to the US market during the second quarter of this year.

While the economic problems did dampen down the US PC market overall – including desktops and laptops - preliminary data from IDC shows that the market in the quarter contracted by just 1.4% compared to an earlier projection of -3.1%.
 
According to IDC, of the four major PC markets assessed in the preliminary results – consumer portables, consumer desktops, commercial portables and commercial desktops – only consumer portables managed positive growth while the others had moderate to severe contraction.

“What is even more indicative of unabated consumer attraction to mobile computing is that the consumer notebook growth is estimated at a solid 63% year on year,” forecast IDC’s David Daoud, who said that “while the commercial desktop and notebook shipments fell by 25% as a result of substantially reduced IT budgets, and the consumer desktop market was down by 9%, the consumer notebook market expanded to a new record of more than 6.3 million units.”

According to Daoud, although the performance of the consumer laptop market defies the economic realities facing the average consumer, several factors are conspiring to keep that market in positive territory.

“First is the fact that notebooks are must-have products that combine entertainment, communications, and productivity features required by consumers. As such, even with economic stress, consumers will continue to invest in such tools to enhance their entertainment, educational, and professional environments.

“The second factor stimulating demand is pricing. Notebook prices continue to fall with high-performance units available at bargain prices, often below $600. An environment of eroding prices has been made possible by continued improvements in manufacturing capabilities, a reduction in component prices, and tight competition among vendors.”

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