TrendForce: 3K2K NB Helps Gain Publicity for Brands

Despite that high-resolution NBs attract more attention than sales, they remain the secret weapons for major brands on the debut stages, ranging from Samsung’s Premium 2013 to HP’s World Tour. Apple’s MacBook Pro led NBs to enter the Retina level, while other makers were conservative about the high resolution. Since smart phones have used the resolution as an advantage to gain the market share, the idea turns to familiar from strange for customers and spreads the influence into the NB market.

According to WitsView, the display research division of the global market intelligence provider TrendForce, the NB shipment for this year is projected to attain 169 million units, declining 8.7% YoY. In such a tough market, in addition to embracing tablets, to accumulate research ability and to lift brand awareness may be the two aspects for brands to work on.

The hybrid, the duo operating system, and the high resolution are all key points focused by the market. Especially the battle among hybrid NBs is intense and fierce, while the competition on the high resolution is about to start, from the 2560x1440 for Toshiba Kirabook 13.3” to the 3200x1800 for Samsung ATIV book 9 Plus 13.3”. The super high resolution has caught the market’s eye, and even consumers are incapable to buy the product, consumers’ attention is driven to the brand, indirectly leading to the purchase of the brands’ other related products.
     
Based on WitsView’s analysis, Samsung’s branded NBs account for 7-9% of the market this year, clearly higher than 6.9% last year. The growth momentum is bolstered by not only the brands’ aggressive strategy, but also Samsung’s significant success on TV, monitors, and tablet segments. Consumers get interested in brands’ products once the brand image and reputation are established, naming Apple as a remarkable example. While the market is hard to stimulate for the moment, it may be the time for brands to practice and deploy preparations, only those who can persist with ambition will win the next round.

Table 1: Comparison of High Resolution Notebooks