Thursday, Jul 18, 2013
Dubai: Low-cost tablets manufactured by branded computer vendors will drive out original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and white goods manufacturers from China from the market, Santosh Varghese, regional general manager of computer systems division at Toshiba Gulf, told Gulf News.
He said unbranded brands are surviving because of the cost factor and with branded vendors already coming out in that space, it is difficult for the OEM brands to survive.
Lenovo and Samsung have launched tablets in the Dh700 range while Toshiba, HP and others are expected to follow suit.
“By October, we could see more branded PC vendors coming out tablets in the Dh600-700 ranges to compete with the unbranded vendors,” said Varghese.
Salim Ziade, General Manager of Personal Systems Group (PSG) at the HP Middle East, said that HP will be launching an Android tablet in the UAE soon.
PC manufacturers are seeing an increased demand for touch-screen notebooks and hybrids (tablet-PC combo).
Varghese said that if consumers prefer a tablet than a PC when they are looking to buy a second device, so the replacement market is not happening now. From next quarter, touch screen notebooks will become popular coupled with falling prices and it will go in line with Windows 8.
According to research firm IDC, the demand for ultra-slim notebooks in the UAE is expected to grow to more than 74,000 units for the second quarter, compared to more than 60,000 units in the first quarter.
By Naushad K Cherrayil Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
