Acer has declared its intention to increase its presence in the Japanese market with a new slim,
lightweight laptop . Traditionally, the Japanese market has been dominated by native
PC makers, with outsiders struggling to gain a foothold in either the
laptop or
desktop computer markets. However, with Japanese consumers increasingly eager to find bargains given the economic downturn. Thus, in contrast to their traditional preference for expensive luxury and quality brands, Japanese consumers are now more open to alternatives.
Acer is currently the sixth biggest
notebook manufacturer in Japan, but hopes to move up in the rankings with the release of its Aspire Timeline series in Japan. At present, NEC Corp,
Fujitsu,
Dell,
Toshiba and
Hewlett Packard are ahead of Acer in Japan. Priced at 90,000 yen, around $960, the
laptops cost around half as much as its rivals, whilst boasting an eight hour
battery life. It weighs just 1.6 kilograms and is less than an inch thick.
Bob Sen, Managing Director of Acer Japan, said, ‘We have big ambitions for the Japanese market. We hope that we can not only boost market share in Japan but also help revive the PC market that has been hit by the recession.’