Report: Netbooks now one-fifth of portable PC shipments
Summary: DisplaySearch, a unit of the NPD Group, found that netbooks represented 22.2 of portable computers shipped worldwide in the second calendar quarter of 2009. That's up from 5.6 percent a year ago, and 17.8 percent in the first quarter of this year. The total notebook PC market exceeded 38 million, according to DisplaySearch's research.
Earlier this year, it looked like the netbook market might have peaked. But maybe not....
DisplaySearch, a unit of the NPD Group, found that netbooks represented 22.2 of portable computers shipped worldwide in the second calendar quarter of 2009. That's up from 5.6 percent a year ago, and 17.8 percent in the first quarter of this year. The total notebook PC market exceeded 38 million, according to DisplaySearch's research.
In its "Quarterly Notebook PC Shipment and Forecast Report," Display Search also noted that Asus, the pioneer in mini-note PC (netbook) space, "has been steadily losing share because Tier 1 brands like Acer, HP, Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba have become increasingly aggressive in this segment."
The report notes that a number of netbook vendors are delivering pricier netbook models with bigger screens (a trend Microsoft is attempting to keep in check by limiting the screen size of netbooks that will qualify for lower-per-copy pricing for Windows 7).
"In addition to many other key players in the supply chain, Microsoft indicated it is their desire to increase the ASP (average street price) of mini-notes, DisplaySearch reported. However, "a significant increase to the ASP of mini-notes may deter consumers that are predominantly using mini-notes as secondary PCs,” according to a DisplaySearch press release, quoting John F. Jacobs, Director of Notebook Market Research for DisplaySearch.
I am skeptical that Microsoft and some of its partners' attempt to introduce a new, pricier "ultra thin" category of Windows 7 alternatives to netbooks will take hold. We'll find out in less than two months, when Microsoft makes Windows 7 generally available and some of its PC partners introduce new Windows 7 form factors.
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Talkback
The point of netbooks
Agree! Why does nobody get this?
The fact that netbooks are CHEAP, VERY portable, and have LONG battery life is the magic TRIAD of features which made them take off like a rocket. That's the perfect combination for a road warrior machine. They have enough power to do email, watch videos on a plane, listen to music, browse the Internet, or video chat. They can even edit full-blown documents in a pinch.
Netbooks are just another tool which covers a specific set of needs. The ONLY reason they are taking away from low-end laptop sales is because laptops used to be the only portable choice and were drastic overkill for many road-warrior tasks. Now people have another choice available, so they get the right tool for the right job.
Eventually, I see most people having a laptop on their desk and ALSO owning multiple CHEAP netbook-like devices for various tasks. For example, leaving one in the living room to use as a quick-browser device for when they see web sites on TV. Perhaps another might be used as an eBook reader. Another might be kept in the car. Another might be on the kitchen counter. Commodity pricing will make this happen.
Once a good CHEAP marriage of netbook and touch-screen smartphone happens, they'll really take off. Sometimes you just want a slightly bigger screen than your phone without sacrificing portability.
Two out of three
battery life is the magic TRIAD of features which made them take off
like a rocket."
I can accept the last 2 as being critical for some people, although I
never found my 17" laptop to be a problem in either regard (it only
weighs 6 pounds and gets 4 hours or so which is more than I need).
I just disagree with the first one. Netbooks aren't really all that cheap
when you compare them to sale priced laptops. For example, I bought
my daughter a 15" Toshiba laptop with 2.33 GHz Core2Duo (no Atom
junk), 2 GB RAM, 250 or 320 GH hard disk, DVD burner, and discrete
graphics chip for $379 at Best Buy (regular price was $399, but it was
on sale). That puts it right into the range of a netbook with 8 or 9"
screen, tiny keyboard, etc. If you search around, you can always find
similar deals.
Small size and battery life are the real drivers for netbooks (other than
the people who don't bother looking around to see if they can get a
real laptop).
The problem is that there are lots of people in that latter category.
Surveys on netbook purchasers are consistently very negative - a huge
percentage of people who buy netbooks are unhappy with them
because they don't understand that netbooks are necessarily limited
functionality computers and expect them to perform like a real laptop.
The only explanation I can find is that these are people who would
have been happier with a real laptop but just bought the netbook
because of its price (without realizing that a little bit of research
would have gotten them a real laptop for about the same price).
Which reminds me...
huh?
As for prices, yes, laptop prices are going down, but so are the prices for low-end netbooks. 8 inch netbooks are now under $250.
yes
I can say one thing . . .
For that matter, if you had one with a screen size of 7" and put a Core duo under the hood, would that be a Netbook too? Not according to MS . . .
Is it the Form factor or power, or both that truly defines a Netbook?
I also find it interesting that after all the nay-saying over the need for a Netbook, the market seems to have spoken in favor of them in the amount of 1/5 of all new portables sold are Netbook class.
I'm just curious as to everyone's thoughts on these . . .
MS is fighting a losing battle.
MS first tried to convince (and many others in these forums) the market they are "internet applicance". The people I have supplied them to use them like general computers, lol. Then they tried to enforce limits on hardware. It will be a roaming target, especially once true dual core Atoms are released.
It's a fool's errand, netbooks are completely fine for the YouTube watching, IM sending, Facebooking crowd. I even do video editing on my netbook. Gaming aside, what's the technology that's driving the need for cutting edge? I even watch fullscreen (granted, not true HD) video just fine.
TripleII
I'm not surprised!
In fact, I may get one too once Windows 7 starts coming preinstalled on them!
It's the sub $300 price point that grabs people.
TripleII
P.S. eCrater has it, you can find it if you want, don't want a post deleting link in this message.
Turn this around...
I love mine
When I need heavy computing power, or a bigger screen, I still have my 4 desktop machines to choose from.
I won't travel with my laptop - data is too valuable
I hope hardware vendors don't comply with Microsoft's demand about screen size. I have bigger hands and old eyes to see smaller screens.
I'd prefer to buy a netbook with Linux installed but if given no choice will buy one with Windows just to get the hardware I want and then re-install.
Not going away
Their uses are limited, but they are perfect for those uses-
The observation they are good secondary computers is spot on- in our enterprise one can be used purely with MS-RDC and webmail, so no data is kept on the device, indeed it is not on our domains. A simple cost effective alternative to more expensive devices if the goal is mail or internet, too inexpensive to ignore.
We are looking at them to be a logical part of our plans in the next three years to help capitate cost in our enterprise...
RE: Report: Netbooks now one-fifth of portable PC shipments
Microsoft defined a netbook as 10 inches or under because it knows a lot of people would like to buy 11 inch machines with Starter Edition on them, and that would cut Microsoft's profits.
what next?
RE: Report: Netbooks now one-fifth of portable PC shipments
RE: Report: Netbooks now one-fifth of portable PC shipments