HP vows to overtake Asus in notebooks | Bangkok Post: tech

Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world's largest technology firm, has vowed to overtake Asustek as the No.2 seller in the Thai notebook computer market within a year.

A model shows the HP Envy SpectreXT, weighing 1.39 kilogrammes with a 13.3-inch high-definition display, 256 gigabytes of solid-state storage drive and up to eight hours of battery life.

After a full year of restructuring its global organisation and supply chain system, the US-based company is proceeding with its marketing plan to promote its notebooks to capitalise on the upcoming commercial third-generation mobile broadband services.

HP's market share of the local notebook market last year slipped to No.3, behind Asus. Acer remains the market leader.

Vatsun Thirapatarapong, the general manager for printing and personal system of Hewlett-Packard (Thailand), said the local operating unit has already completed its merging of printing and personal computer businesses.

The merger followed the global restructuring policy embarked on in March. The new business unit generated global revenue of US$65 billion.

Apiradee Paholvech, the group product and marketing manager at HP, said the company will focus more on the premium ultrabook computer segment. "We are renovating our own shops and dealer outlets to provide some demonstration areas to show our products."

She said HP aims to increase its ultrabook revenue from 6% last year to 10% this year, thanks to high demand from corporate customers.

"We expect ultrabook computers will account for up to 40% of the total notebook market by 2015," Ms Apiradee said.

HP is introducing a new high-performance ultrabook model, HP Envy Spectre, priced at 54,900 baht and the Envy 6 priced at 33,900 baht.

Ms Apiradee said HP is adding more affordable notebooks to attract demand from tablet users. The company is also focusing on low-end notebooks between 10,000-14,000 baht. The low-end notebook market made up 40% of the total.

However, she admitted that the momentum of tablet demand and the slowing economy had affected the country's notebook market.

The research firm IDC found that the overall notebook market in Thailand is expected to grow by only 7-8% this year to 2.4 million units, down from 10-15% projected earlier.

Mr Vatsun said HP headquarters set up a global mobility business unit, focusing on tablet devices to cash in on increasing market demand.

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