|
Posted on 12/19/2005 1:31:01 AM PST by Swordmaker
CENTER STAGE: Apple Computer Inc, buoyed by the iPod effect and its new range of stylish, light notebook models, is set to take control of that market, researchers predict
Among all brand-name notebook-computer makers, Apple Computer Inc is set to take center stage next year, mainly bolstered by its new light-weight models as well as the iPod effect, a recent study found.
Apple is projected to ship 3.27 million notebook computers worldwide next year, an increase of 42 percent compared to 2.29 million units this year, according to study results released by the Topology Research Institute.
This translates to Apple's market share in the worldwide notebook market rising to 4.7 percent from 3.9 percent this year.
"Compared to other makers which will post only moderate growth, Apple's performance is significant and worth paying attention to," Topology analyst Simon Yang said.
According to Yang, Apple notebooks are poised to grab consumers' attention next year as the company will unveil light-weight models with a stylish design aimed at luring female users.
Compared to its current bulky and older models, the upcoming Apple lineup will include 12-inch notebooks weighing in at 1.5kg as well as 14-inch models below 2kg, he said.
In addition, as the iPod digital-music-player series have been selling like hot cakes because of the large storage size they offer and their fashionable exterior, the "fondness effect" will be passed on to Apple notebooks, he said.
On the other hand, he said, NEC Computer Corp's shrinking market share might serve as a warning to Apple.
The research firm estimates that NEC's notebook shipments will drop to 2.64 million units from 2.54 million units, translating to a market-share decline of 0.5 percentage points to 3.8 percent next year.
"NEC has been putting too much emphasis on the Japanese market, prompting it to lose market share elsewhere and it lacks a niche market to compete with other aggressive players," Yang said.
Meanwhile, Dell Inc, Hewlett-Packard Co, Toshiba Corp, Acer Inc as well as Lenovo Group Ltd are expected to maintain their respective positions as the world's top-five notebook makers next year, according to the Taipei-based research house.
The market shares of HP, Acer and Lenovo will be up marginally, with Dell and Toshiba showing a slight decline, it said.
"Among the top five, Lenovo will still face a setback in other markets even though its products are highly accepted in China. It needs to do more to assure users of the product quality after acquiring IBM Corp's PC business," Yang said.
Overall, global notebook shipments next year will grow by 17.8 percent to reach 69.5 million units, mainly driven by lower pricings and the new Intel dual-core platform, which is due to be launched next month.
This estimate is similar to the figures given by Market Intelligence Center, another local market researcher.
MIC forecast in October that worldwide notebook shipments next year will hit 71.2 million units, demonstrating a healthy growth of 19.8 percent.
It said that, combined with the volume of desktop computers, which will reach 135 million units, the total shipments of all personal computers will surpass the 200 million mark for the first time.
|
Thanks to Cabojoe for the heads up.
I like my Macs, but my Thinkpad is killer for business applications. I doubt Apple will be more than a solid, steady player in that market. They'll make money on every one they sell. My next PowerBook will be the 12" just to keep the weight down when I travel.
What can you do on your ThinkPad, that my 17' G4 PB cannot do? Is it faster? Do you have more than 1g Ram? How fast does it run Photoshop, or Final Cut? How long does it take to reformat a table in MS Office? Have you even used a PowerBook?
Oh, I know. It plays SOME video games better... not bizness apps...
Why pick on me?
I work for a living. In the real world, I have to use PC based applications dictated by my employer, et al. Those applications are not available on my Macs. I'm okay with that. I can be a cheerleader for my Macs, but I can't dictate what a 20 billion dollar company decides is best for itself. I'm just not that connected.
I'm not picking, I am responding to your odd statement. I know there are some dedicated programs for Windoze, but most bizness apps are ported to Macs, as well.
What caught my eye, though, was your allegiance to the Thinkpad, and then your intention to buy a new PowerBook...
What programs do you use, that are so proprietary?
From 3.9 to 4.7 is quite a bit!
We've several thousand programmers working around the world to develop the "proprietary" software that drives our business. You can't do everything with Hypercard and Excel, eh?
4.7% marketshare = "rule the notebook roost"...
Hmm....
I don't find the Apple notebooks to be any more bulky than others. Compared to a 17 in. Toshiba (Why my dad officially retired from PCs) his 17 in Powerbook was much smaller. Apple produces the best looking products and I agree that notebooks is really where Apple will grow. Especially if they lower the prices a little bit and expand the iBook line a little bit. PC makers offer a lot more options. But college kids will be willing to try Apple based on the iPod and the student discount they recieve.
No offense. bu how is 4.7 percent ruling the roost?
Having played the Apple skeptic here for some time, I just bought an iPod for a gift. Won't know anything about it 'till after Christmas.
Being the top chicken in the flock does not require being more than half the flock... just being the one who leads. On the other hand, chickens are pretty stupid.
C'mon, even Mac bigots have to admit that the title of this article is ridiculous. Apple is a marginal player in the notebook market.
At any rate, the iPod and iTunes cured me of my Applephobia. Now I am a big Apple fan and I will be buying one of these Intel-based Apple notebooks coming out next year - so long as they come in semi-masculine colors. If they keep coming out with purple and pink colored laptop crap, I'll keep buying the IBM (oops, Lesovo) Thinkpads.
I still think Steve Jobs is a bit of a goof but since Bill Gates is getting really strange and weird on us, it's time to give Steve Jobs a chance to step up to the plate and hit a few out of the park.
Did I say that the iPod is an awesome product - in all its iterations? It is. The iPod is one of the greatest inventions of the past 100 years.
I didn't give it the title... the newspaper did.
Now, why don't you try posting it by saying:
"C'mon, even Mac advocates have to admit that the..."
Bigots are usually members of the majority who heap abuse on a minority. You are the member of the majority... that makes you the bigot when you use such pejoratives.
"I like my Macs, but my Thinkpad is killer for business applications."
I can relate - I do insurance/financial planning - I have Macs all over the house and a Ti 667 PB. My ThinkPad is what runs my Ins and FP software and goes with me to clients.
And I could probably get by with VPC but support for it sucks and I let it go several years ago and got the ThinkPad -
As someone said a while back - there are 3 types of laptops. Apple, IBM and all the rest.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
