Netbook Shipments to Double This Year, Research Says

By Agam Shah July 13, 2009

Netbook shipments will double this year, while mainstream laptop shipments will remain flat, research firm DisplaySearch said on Monday. Netbook shipments this year could reach around 32.7 million units, propelled by competitive pricing and improved hardware capabilities. Shipments will be close to double that of 16.4 million netbooks that shipped last year, said John Jacobs, director of laptop research at DisplaySearch. The latest estimate represents a hike on the company's previous forecast of 27.5 million netbook shipments for the year. Netbooks will also take a larger chunk of worldwide laptop shipments as mainstream laptop shipments flatten, Jacobs said. Worldwide mainstream laptop shipments will total 129.5 million, flat compared to last year. Buyers are drawn to netbooks because of competitive pricing between US$300 to $500, Jacobs said. PC makers have also improved netbook hardware with larger screens and keyboards, which could further boost demand. The improvements were necessary as the cramped keyboards and small screens were resulting in many netbooks being returned, Jacobs said.

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