Samsung netbooks expected to make up 70% of their portable computer sales in 2010
Despite a late entry into the netbook market, Samsung were able to quickly establish themselves as favourites within the market, allowing them to secure a healthy market share. What is it about these netbooks that appeals to so many users?
- First, Samsung netbooks provide style without compromising a professional appearance, a look that appeals to both students and professionals, as well as the casual portable computer user.
- Second, Samsung netbooks come with an impressive battery life, ranging from 5 hours up to an outstanding 9.5 hours – this alone, is a winner for many buyers.
- Finally, durability is ensured with their sturdy and compact design – all this, at a highly competitive price tag.
The release of the eagerly awaited NC10 in September 2008 marked Samsung’s entry into the netbook arena – combining a sleek appearance with outstanding performance, the Samsung NC10 rapidly became a favourite amongst netbook buyers.
In the months that followed, Samsung wasted no time in introducing an impressive line-up of netbooks, each one maintaing the portability, design and performance that had created the exciting stir of their first netbook release.
The current market leaders, Acer and ASUS, are estimating 2009 end-sales of 12 million and 7 million respectively. With Samsung estimating sales of 4 million netbooks by the end of the year, the company are certainly not trailing too far behind. And considering Samsung entered the netbook market a year behind ASUS and a few months behind Acer, the rise of Samsung netbooks is truly impressive.
Samsung’s European Product Manager, Patrick Pavel, discussing Samsung’s strategy, described a long term goal of placing Samsung netbooks within the top three within the next 2-3 years, a rise from their current 8th position, enabling them to secure a larger portion of market share from current industry leaders. The company certainly has its sights set high – Samsung predict that 2010 shall bring in sales of a staggering 10 million, with 7 million sales expecting to come from netbooks.
Samsung’s dramatic growth provides an indication of the netbook sales trend – these computer portables are the fastest growing product in the notebook computer segment. The growth of netbooks has indeed been outstanding, surpassing all predictions; rising from sales of only 400, 000 to 1 million in 2007 (Goarticles; Arstechnica), total sales in 2009 are expected to reach a staggering 35 million (Wikipedia; ABIresearch), a figure that was expected to be achieved by the end of 2012 – this market is certainly exploding.
In an economically turbulent climate, netbooks provide the perfect computing solution, and their increasing popularity has meant they have rapidly overtaken netbook sales. Furthermore, the Windows 7 platform shall lift current specification limits, allowing the expansion and development of more powerful netbooks, creating a fierce competition between market leaders which will mean netbooks are onlhy going to get better.
Attractive, portable and above all, great value for money, these compact machines are slowly taking over the portable computer industry.
Netbooks are most definitely here to stay.
Filed under: Netbook