2011 netbook shipment will decline 18 percent YoY, primary growth depends on emerging market

TAIWAN: According to DRAMeXchange, a research department of TrendForce, PC-OEMs are holding on to their existing market share because they are facing a declining in Netbook demand. Asus launched Eee PC 1015PW and said they will introduce three to four more new models. Acer also indicated that netbooks will still have their own niche market.

According to DRAMeXchange, Netbook is superior in terms of basic functionality including document processing and graphic application. Net books have a better cost-to-performance advantage.

Expanding market shares remains the primary target of PC-OEMs, and they strategically will not give up the Netbook market. Also, original Chinese white brand Netbook vendors are pivoting towards manufacturing tablet PC in 2011. DRAMeXchange expect 2011 Netbook shipment will decrease by 18 percent year-over-year to about 27 to 28 million units.

Netbook is being heavily cannibalized by tablet PC in the developed markets, especially in the area they co-worked with telecommunication carriers. As carriers are shifting their focus from netbooks onto tablet PC, so does media exposure. DRAMeXchange indicates that 2011 netbooks’ growth momentum will primarily rely on emerging market.

Main reason being tablet PC average selling price is at $550 to $650 (USD), the more affordable netbooks are more attractive in the emerging market.

According to DRAMeXchange, netbooks have been facing strong competition since 2H10. First, consumers have slowly switching back to regular notebooks. Secondly is the effect of tablet PC cannibalization. During CES, tablet PCs were at the center of spotlight.

Companies introducing their tablet PCs were not limited to PC-OEMs, but also mobile and TV manufacturers. DRAMeXchange expects the tablet PC boom will continue while customers facing budget constraint will likely to choose tablet PC over Netbook because of their overlapped functionalities. This will result in a decline of Netbook estimated shipment in 2011.