In a bid to counter the stiff competition posed by media tablets, the mobile PC market is shifting largely to the new ultrabook platform, according to the IHS iSuppli Compute Platforms service at information and analysis provider HIS.
IHS predicts that ultrabooks will account for 43% of global notebook PC shipments in 2015, up from 2% in 2011 and 13% in 2012.
Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst, computer platforms at HIS, says, "To compete with media tablets, notebook PCs must become sexier and more appealing to consumers."
He adds that the ultrabook, which borrows some of the form-factor and user-interface advantages of the media tablet, will enhance the charm of the notebook.
The media tablet market is set to boom in the coming years, driven chiefly by Apple’s iPad, with worldwide shipments increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 42% from 2011 to 2015.
At the same time, the notebook market would see shipments increasing at a CAGR of only 10% during the same period, IHS feels.
