Mini-Notebooks Make Explosive Entry into EMEA PC Market in 2008, and Momentum Will Continue in 2009, Says IDC.
Basically, in the final quarter of last year, netbook (mini-notebook) shipments reached 3.6 million units. This represented 20% of total portable sales and 30% of consumer portables in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. IDC says in its press release:
"Driven by strong vendor and channel push, consumers benefited from the plethora of new models appearing on the shelves from October onwards, and the explosion in the product offering stimulated fierce competition for shelf space. Following in the footsteps of Asus, there are currently more than 50 vendors, from international players to local assemblers, with a mini-notebook offering across EMEA, which is clearly contributing to the ongoing buoyancy."
Acer was the leading vendor, with sales of 1.1m units for a 30.5% market share. Asus placed second with 1.0m (28.0%), with HP's 253,000 units earning it third (7.0%). Samsung and Dell completed the top five.
IDC expects models with 10-inch screens to dominate next year, with a growth market partly stimulated by telecoms companies such as Phones 4u, T-Mobile and Vodafone. It says:
Market dynamics will remain driven by consumer demand, but improving specifications, larger screens, and integrated 3G will make mini-notebooks more appealing to businesses as well. The education sector will be another growth opportunity in the long term. There are already several projects running in the UK and Russia, for example, and demand is expected to rise in an effort to promote one-to-one computing across the region.
