Netbooks Propel Acer to the Top in Western Europe

Taiwanese PC maker Acer has managed to surpass the leading computer systems maker, HP, in terms of personal computer sales in Western Europe in the third quarter of 2008. As it was to be expected, the company's low-cost and low-power netbook, the Aspire One, is the main reason for the reported market success, according to research firm Gartner.

ASUSTek, the pioneer of the mini PC segment and Acer's main competitor in the netbook market, has also recorded a significant market growth, due to its netbook system lineup. The company is said to have seen an increase in shipments in Western Europe, of a more than impressive 195.5 percent, helping the company climb to the fourth place in the charts.

According to the new figures provided by Gartner, Acer now accounts for 25 percent of all western European PC shipments, while its competitor ASUSTek has seen its market share reach 6.5-percent.

The two global leading PC makers, HP and Dell, on the other hand, have seen a far less impressive growth, at only 12.1 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively. These figures, as low as they may be, are related to the fact that both companies have just recently released their low-power and low-cost computer systems.

Netbooks are generally seen as secondary PCs, although Acer's chairman, J.T Wang, disagrees, claiming that 70 percent of all netbook buyers would not otherwise purchase a PC. "Yes, about 30 percent of all our customers who bought a netbook may have chosen to buy a more expensive laptop, but we are expanding our customer base and creating new opportunities for ourselves."

Acer sticks to its optimistic estimations for future growth, saying that it expects a 60 percent growth in this quarter, aggressively focusing on its netbook lineup. The company believes the global netbook market will reach 30-35 million units in 2009, with almost half of that being the company's own Aspire netbooks.