Acer Inc (宏碁) yesterday said it plans to begin selling its laptops and desktop computers running Google Inc’s Web-based Chrome operating system in Taiwan next week to broaden its product offering for the education and business markets.
The company’s 11.6-inch Chromebook is priced from NT$8,690 (US$286) and the larger 13.3-inch model costs NT$11,900, while prices for its Chromebox desktop PCs start from NT$7,990, Acer said.
The price of Acer’s Chromebox desktop PC is higher than Asustek Computer Inc’s (華碩) similar product, Chromebox CN60, that was also launched yesterday and priced at NT$5,999.
Photo: CNA
PRICE SENSITIVE
Samuel Chang (張世欣), director of Acer Taiwan’s marketing division, told a press briefing that Acer’s Chromebooks are designed to fit the demands of price-sensitive consumers, people who need a second computer, and the education and business sectors.
Last year, the company ranked as the world’s second-largest maker of Chromebook laptops, with a 21.4 percent market share, as the Taiwanese PC vendor offered low-cost, high-performance products in the category, research firm Gartner Inc said.
New data from market intelligence firm ABI Research shows that worldwide shipments of Chromebooks are forecast to reach 4.1 million units this year, almost double the 2.1 million units shipped last year.
TOP VENDORS
The top three Chromebook vendors — Acer, Samsung Electronics Co of South Korea and Hewlett-Packard Co of the US — accounted for 74 percent of shipments during the first half of the year, ABI Research said.
However, ABI Research said that the devices have had a slow start because of their “questionable need.”
Vertical markets such as elementary education have been a driving force behind Chromebooks, it said.
In emerging markets, especially in the Asia-Pacific region and eastern Europe, business-purchasing entities account for 75 percent of Chromebook sales, it said.
It forecast that North America would account for 78 percent of the Chromebook market this year, while other regions, especially the Asia-Pacific region and western Europe, are expected to grow in market share by 2019.
SEMICONDUCTORS: The firm has already completed one fab, which is to begin mass producing 2-nanomater chips next year, while two others are under construction Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, plans to begin construction of its fourth and fifth wafer fabs in Kaohsiung next year, targeting the development of high-end processes. The two facilities — P4 and P5 — are part of TSMC’s production expansion program, which aims to build five fabs in Kaohsiung. TSMC facility division vice president Arthur Chuang (莊子壽) on Thursday said that the five facilities are expected to create 8,000 jobs. To respond to the fast-changing global semiconductor industry and escalating international competition, TSMC said it has to keep growing by expanding its production footprints. The P4 and P5
DOWNFALL: The Singapore-based oil magnate Lim Oon Kuin was accused of hiding US$800 million in losses and leaving 20 banks with substantial liabilities Former tycoon Lim Oon Kuin (林恩強) has been declared bankrupt in Singapore, following the collapse of his oil trading empire. The name of the founder of Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd (興隆貿易) and his children Lim Huey Ching (林慧清) and Lim Chee Meng (林志朋) were listed as having been issued a bankruptcy order on Dec. 19, the government gazette showed. The younger Lims were directors at the company. Leow Quek Shiong and Seah Roh Lin of BDO Advisory Pte Ltd are the trustees, according to the gazette. At its peak, Hin Leong traded a range of oil products, made lubricants and operated loading
The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico’s luxury car market, hitting sales of traditionally dominant brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Mexicans are increasingly switching from traditionally dominant sedans to Chinese vehicles due to a combination of comfort, technology and price, industry experts say. It is no small feat in a country home to factories of foreign brands such as Audi and BMW, and where until a few years ago imported Chinese cars were stigmatized, as in other parts of the world. The high-end segment of the market registered a sales drop
Citigroup Inc and Bank of America Corp said they are leaving a global climate-banking group, becoming the latest Wall Street lenders to exit the coalition in the past month. In a statement, Citigroup said while it remains committed to achieving net zero emissions, it is exiting the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). Bank of America said separately on Tuesday that it is also leaving NZBA, adding that it would continue to work with clients on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The banks’ departure from NZBA follows Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Wells Fargo & Co. The largest US financial institutions are under increasing pressure
RSS