The growing popularity of
netbook PCs shows no signs of slowing after another hugely successful quarter for the small
laptops .
Netbooks have nearly quadrupled their market share in the past twelve months, up from 5.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2008 to 22.2 per cent in the same quarter of 2009. The figures from market research firm DisplaySearch also revealed that the success of the portable
computers has seen an erosion of the market share enjoyed by traditional laptops. Normal sized
notebooks have seen their market share fall from 94.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2008 to 77.8 per cent of the market in the most recent quarter.
The popularity of netbooks in
emerging markets has been a major factor behind the rapid growth. With many customers in areas such as
Latin America and
China buying a laptop for the first time, the cheaper netbook models are able to satisfy the needs of these consumers, DisplaySearch claim. Meanwhile, the subsidized deals offered by telecommunication providers in Western
Europe have helped netbooks to penetrate the market successfully. Of course, a major factor that cannot be ignored in their success is the clamour for good value products in the midst of an economic downturn.