The case of going from bad to worse for hardware vendors, or affordable delights for end users? You be the judge. But this much is becoming clear that the winds of change for notebook vendors are not coming anytime soon.
There were some that expected the declining trends to stop, if not reverse, in 2014. You know, with the retirement of Windows XP and all that other fun stuff.
But according to this new report by DisplaySearch, brand vendors are braced for delays and weak consumer demands in the laptop market this year. As a result, everyone from Apple to ASUS, HP to Lenovo, Samsung to Sony, even Toshiba has lowered shipment estimates.
In terms of statistics, it was expected that some 152 million units will ship this year — now that figure is estimated at 134 million, as sharp a decline as any.
Varying factors are playing into this, but most of all the tablet assault is taking its toll on the notebook and ultrabook market. In fact, if reports of Apple’s upcoming 12.9-inch tablet hold true, it will only put more pressure on the laptop makers.
And then there is the renewed interest in wearable devices, among consumers. If some of these make their way to the market, then that might turn out to be just another blow.
So much so that there is talks of the notebook market hitting back with 14 to 15.6 inch models starting at the mouthwatering prices of $299. They will, quite obviously, come without touchscreen displays, and the first models are expected to hit the store shelves this June.
It would be quite a sight if they do.
