Worldwide mini-notebook shipments to exceed 5mn units in 2008

Gartner Inc has reported that worldwide mini-notebook shipments are expected to reach 5.2 million units in 2008 and 8 million units in 2009. As an emerging category of mobile computing devices, the mini-notebooks market is expected to experience strong growth, as there could be as many as 50 million mini-notebooks shipped in 2012. brAnnette Jump, research director at Gartner, said the demand for mini-notebooks is driven by several factors, including screen size, weight, price, ease of use and their basic, but sufficient, PC functionality. brShe commented that mini-notebooks are likely to attract a variety of users with different usage needs. Potential users are likely to include both first-time buyers seeking a low-cost introductory PC as well as experienced users seeking a low-cost second or third PC for themselves or a relative. brAlthough mini-notebooks started out as low-cost educational PCs, since the end of 2007 the target audience has expanded from education to consumers in both mature and emerging markets, and a few business buyers. brThe research firm believes that the largest growth opportunities for mini-notebooks are in the consumer subcategory and that this segment will eventually account for about 70 per centbr of all mini-notebooks. The main drivers for mini-notebook adoption will be market positioning, device price, availability of wireless connectivity and its costs as well as support from channel partners and retailers. brGartner does not expect any major cannibalization of mobile PC shipments by mini-notebooks in 2008 and 2009, because there is a significant functionality and performance gap between notebooks and mini-notebooks. However, from 2010, mini-notebooks may start to cannibalize some low-end mobile PC volumes, and from 2011, they could significantly boost business PC shipments if their performance should increase substantially and they prove attractive to general business users. br— Techno Asia