Ultrathin notebooks rake in $1.4B sales in Q1
Global demand for ultrathin notebooks has been on the uptick for the last four quarters, and over half a million of such devices were sold in the first quarter of 2012 alone, a new GfK study revealed.
The latest research findings released Tuesday showed that ultrathin notebooks, defined as devices 2 centimeters or less in thickness and weigh less than 1.5 kilograms, generated sales of over 500,000 which amounted to nearly US$1.4 billion in the first quarter of the year.
Average selling prices for these laptops are also dipping, which helps to generate more sales, it noted. In the first quarter of last year, the average price tag for the device reached US$1,507, but this has since dropped almost 10 percent lower a year on to US$1,389.
"As rising number of makers enter the market with their offerings of the latest super thin and higher-end versions of laptops, average selling price of these gadgets are also seeing a declining trend, making it more affordable for consumers to own one," GfK stated.
The findings come on the heels of Apple releasing its latest range of ultrathin laptops, including a 15-inch MacBook Pro measuring 0.71 inches, and the slew of ultrabooks by vendors including Acer and Asus that were unveiled during last week's Computex trade fair in Taiwan.