According to Strategy Analytics they are. The research firm have just released a report saying that Netbook shipments grew by a massive 79 percent in 2009 which amounts to around 30.2 million netbooks shipped worldwide.
They also reckon that 2010 will yet again be another good year for these popular mini laptops.
Ok, so what about all this talk we’ve been hearing for months about the expected death of the netbook?
First experts were hailing the new ultra thin notebooks with faster processors as the device that will bring about the Netbook’s fall.
We also have to consider the rising popularity of eReaders which could have an impact on Netbook sales.
Now there are those hailing 2010 as the year of the tablet PC and indeed, Apple, who was never interested in producing a Netbook in the first place, kicked off the year by launching the Apple iPad, their version of the tablet.
The implication is that anyone wanting a portable device from now on will have much better options available than the Netbook which has limited functionality and power.
So what is going on and what do Strategy Analytics know that we don’t?
Alex Spektor, Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “According to our Netbook Share Tracker (NST) service, top vendors in 2009 were Acer, Asus, HP, and Dell. These players and other incumbents all ramped up the number of netbook models offered throughout the year, while newcomers like Nokia also entered this red-hot market. The launch of Microsoft Windows 7 also helped vendors reinvigorate their portfolios.”
Peter King, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Netbook shipments benefitted from a broad distribution footprint, which ranged from traditional brick-and-mortar stores to online retailers and mobile operator shops. This category is poised for further growth in 2010, as chipset makers battle for dominance in the portable device segment. Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia and others will continue to push new processors that promise to do more, while taking up less space and consuming less power.”
In the coming months we are expecting a number of companies to launch tablets, eReaders and new and more capable portable notebooks.
So the question is how can Netbooks possibly keep up their track record and continue to grow in 2010 with all these other devices competing for a share of the market?
We’ll have to wait and see but in the meantime anyone interested in purchasing the full Strategy Analytics report can download it from strategy analytics website for $6999.
