PC Makers Hope iPad Effect on Notebook Sales is Temporary

[Maura]

AppleInsider reports today that notebook design manufacturers who have been talking to DigiTimes have said that they hope that the recent launch of Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors, and the launch of Windows 8, which is imminent, will help to encourage more people to buy laptops, instead of iPads. AppleInsider notes that the manufacturers believe that although the iPad continues, and will continue, to sell in huge numbers, it’s negative effect on worldwide notebook sales is not quite as strong as it was, primarily because, in the opinion of the manufacturers, the iPad and similar devices concentrate more on entertainment, “rather than working and learning.†In the DigiTimes feature, Simon Lin, the chairman of Wistron, said that he thinks that the iPad has created demand for a new market, as opposed to taking away sales from the notebook market. Lin also said that he thinks that the global recession is more of a reason for slow notebook sales than is the popularity of the iPad.

Source: PC makers hope Apple's iPad is delaying, not replacing notebook purchases

 

[Kaykaykay]

Good luck to them. What I used to do on notebooks, I now do on iPad. For more, I have my laptop. I'll keep buying tablets and laptops, but I'm not buying any more notebooks.

 

[AQ_OC]

There are a lot of users who were buying notebooks and laptops to do nothing more than surf the web and write emails. Those users will be grabbed up by tablets. They weren't true notebook users anyway and the tablet is just a better choice.

Then there is another segement of users who want to use the tablet in places and ways where a laptop just doesn't fit well. Like on the couch. These users still use laptops but they like the added tool of a tablet. These users will continue to buy tablets.

There is another set of users who think in binary fashion. Why do you need both? So these folks will either find ways to use a tablet like a laptop (ie, buying keyboards) or just stick with the laptop. They won't want to deal with more than one machine and must see a clear reason for one or the other. Some of these people will see the tablet as freedom from laptops, as the tablet/kb may be lighter in total weight than the compariably priced ultrabook. Still others will see the tablet as a toy and shun it.

Then there are the nutcases who own desktops and think of anything else as a stop-gap solution for when they can't be in front of their desktop. They may have multiple desktops, laptops, and tablets, and smart phones, too. But the desktop is the machine they can never be without because all other forms are serious compromis if you can be sitting at a desk.

Oh..and I forgot the smartphone group. These primarily the ones pushing larger phones (not exclusively) and they think they can do most of their work on smartphones. They are usually very young and aren't really that productive yet, but they are smart and they do find ways to use the smartphones to great advantage.

Since we have all of these forms of "computing" and computer use, it is only natural that there is a pull and tug between the various factions of users of devices.

 

[skimonkey]

Very nicely said, aq-oc...I like the contrast and comparison of the different groups!!

 

[Kaykaykay]

Hybrid devices would probably appeal to a greater number -- notebook / laptops with screens that pop out for use as tablets. A few of those have emerged, but with too many shortcomings to gain momentum yet.

Notebooks might always appeal to some, but the question is whether their numbers will be large enough to make it worthwhile to manufacturers to keep making them. Some people will always prefer stick shifts, for instance, but sticks aren't available in most cars, because the market doesn't support them.

That's how the tug of the marketplace boils down in anything that requires high-end manufacturing and is technical. You can have more niche products in non-technical areas (you can even have places like Etsy, with many makers that will customize), but producing computers has a much higher level of entry for manufacturing, so there have to be a pretty big number of buyers just to break even, much less make a decent profit.

 

[AQ_OC]

It is interesting in that when you think worldwide, it is not hard to get a LOT of users for the various categories. There are entire generations of users now who think of a laptop as their primary computer and really the only valid form of a computer. For me a laptop could never be primary when there is a desktop. I think desktops have gone niche now, though, but there still is enough interest to make it worthwhile to make them. The netbook, those are the things that should go. Phones, laptops/ultrabooks, tablets, and desktops will likely remain for a long time. I'm getting to the point where I think a smart phone is more or less a waste of money. A pocket toy.

 

[Kaykaykay]

It is interesting in that when you think worldwide, it is not hard to get a LOT of users for the various categories. There are entire generations of users now who think of a laptop as their primary computer and really the only valid form of a computer. For me a laptop could never be primary when there is a desktop. I think desktops have gone niche now, though, but there still is enough interest to make it worthwhile to make them. The netbook, those are the things that should go. Phones, laptops/ultrabooks, tablets, and desktops will likely remain for a long time. I'm getting to the point where I think a smart phone is more or less a waste of money. A pocket toy.

Depends on the user. Everyone at my company is offered a smart phone because of business reasons, though you can certainly be unproductive on a phone, too, lol.

Having large numbers worldwide for any device isn't necessarily enough, because it depends on marketing and distribution. If you didn't need to spend much reaching those buyers, then you'd be more likely to stay in business. Depends how they'd learn about your product and how you'd sell. If you need to get your product into stores, for instance, you need greater economy of scale. If you could market directly online and your users would buy direct, you'd be looking at fewer barriers. Shipping and distribution, marketing, tech support (would cost a lot to provide these around the world vs. a big number in one country, for instance) are all factors to consider.