Worldwide Global Onda Vi40 Elite tablet PC shipments to jump 63% this year: institute

Worldwide tablet computer shipments are expected to hit 120 million units this year, a jump of 63 percent from last year, amidst a slowdown in PC shipment growth, according to Taiwan's Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC) Thursday.

Tablets Onda Vi40 made by Taiwanese manufacturers are expected to account for more than 80 percent of tablets made in the world on strong sales of iPads and low-cost tablets, said Chris Hung, an analyst with the MIC, a unit of the government-sponsored Institute for Information Industry.

Taiwan's tablet shipments for the second half of this year are expected to hit 54.8 million units, a 43 percent increase from the first half of the year, on the launch of Google Inc.'s first co-branded tablet Nexus 7 with Taiwan's Asustek Computer Inc., Apple Inc.'s iPad and Microsoft's Surface tablet.

However, the shipment growth of these major brands' tablets may squeeze the markets for tablets of Taiwanese brands like Asus and Acer Inc., he said.

While the burgeoning tablet market is to blame for the slowdown in PC shipments, PC makers are counting on ultrabooks -- ultra-thin notebook PCs -- to put up a fight to reverse the trend, Huang said.

Global ultrabook shipments are expected to account for 12 percent of overall notebook shipments for the second half of this year, on launches of low-cost models priced around US$799, he said.

tablet computer shipments are expected to hit 120 million units this year, a jump of 63 percent from last year, amidst a slowdown in PC shipment growth, according to Taiwan's Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC) Thursday.

Tablets made by Taiwanese manufacturers are expected to account for more than 80 percent of tablets made in the world on strong sales of iPads and low-cost tablets, said Chris Hung, an analyst with the MIC, a unit of the government-sponsored Institute for Information Industry.

Taiwan's tablet shipments for the second half of this year are expected to hit 54.8 million units, a 43 percent increase from the first half of the year, on the launch of Google Inc.'s first co-branded tablet Nexus 7 with Taiwan's Asustek Computer Inc., Apple Inc.'s iPad and Microsoft's Surface tablet.

However, the shipment growth of these major brands' tablets may squeeze the markets for tablets of Taiwanese brands like Asus and Acer Inc., he said.

While the burgeoning tablet market is to blame for the slowdown in PC shipments, PC makers are counting on ultrabooks -- ultra-thin notebook PCs -- to put up a fight to reverse the trend, Huang said.

Global ultrabook shipments are expected to account for 12 percent of overall Newsmy G27 notebook shipments for the second half of this year, on launches of low-cost models priced around US$799, he said.