Asustek Computer, the Taiwanese computer maker that pioneered netbooks, believes it can take a double digit share of the global tablet PC market next year and ship as many as 20 million laptop PCs.
Asustek believes the non-Apple segment of the tablet market will reach 10 million to 15 million units next year, and it hopes to take a double digit share of that market, it said in a statement. The statement followed a 2011 global sales meeting on Wednesday.
Apple's iPad is still expected to dominate the tablet market next year despite rising competition from a number of other devices, including Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Tab and Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook.
Asustek hopes to muscle in on the action with a few offerings. The company has shown off several concept tablet PC designs, but has said its official launch will be at the International Consumer Electronics Show, which opens Jan. 6, 2011, in Las Vegas.
The company set its 2011 portable PC shipment target at 20 million units, including 14 million laptop PCs and 6 million Eee PC netbooks. Should Asustek hit its laptop target, it would increase shipments 30 per cent over 2010, while the netbook shipment would be flat year-on-year, the company said.
Asustek had shipped 7.8 million laptops by the end of the third quarter of this year and had a target of 3.1 million for the fourth quarter, putting its 2010 total at around 10.9 million units. In Eee PC netbooks, the company had shipped 4.5 million by the end of the third quarter and aimed for 1.5 million more in the fourth quarter, putting its 2010 total at around 6 million.
The company has set its sights on becoming a major name among PC vendors within the next few years. The target for mobile devices, including laptops and netbooks, may disappoint some people. Taiwanese newspapers had previously reported that Asustek may forecast up to 27 million units for 2011.
