Netbooks “over” as tablets seize the enterprise

Written by James West

Two of the biggest PC manufacturers have sounded the death-knell for netbooks by announcing plans to shift production focus towards the rapidly growing tablet market.

Lenovo president Rory Read told Dow Jones that mini-laptop’s are “pretty much over” while confirming that his company will launch its own range of 10-inch tablets running on Google’s Android operating system, with 7-inch and Windows derivatives in the pipeline.

Beleaguered manufacturer Acer meanwhile is preparing to flood the European market with three million cut price laptops and is set to turn its focus to pushing tablet sales according to the Register. This is likely to be in aid of bringing the business back into the black as it is also reported that 300 jobs are set to be axed and that board members have agreed to 50 per cent pay cuts, following Acer’s disappointing results and a 10 per cent fall in revenues. 

Analyst IDC agrees that tablet sales are eating into sales of netbooks and lower-powered notebooks, reducing its PC sales forecasts by three per cent to reflect the trend.

Blackberry’s PlayBook, thought by many to be the first true rival to the all conquering iPad has now been released in Britain, but has some catching up to do with Apple’s pioneering device, which is on its second incarnation and has sold over 10 million units in 2011.