It seems that Acer is feeling bullish about ultrabooks this year. Analysts are predicting that ultrabooks will grow to become as much as 40 percent of the laptop market by 2015, but Acer is moving that timetable up to 2012. The company estimates that 25-35 percent of its total notebook shipments this year will fall under the ultrabook category, with new models and price cuts already on track.
Acer chairman and CEO J.T. Wang, quoted in Taiwan'sDigiTimes, claims that ultrabooks will make up 25-35 percent of Acer's total laptop shipments this year.
"Sales of Acer's first ultrabook, the Aspire S3, totaled about 250,000-300,000 units in the first quarter after launch, and the company expects sales for its new Aspire S5 tablet PC will be even better," he said.
The Acer Aspire S5 is one of Acer's upcoming ultrabook models, and is being touted as the "world's thinnest" (see slideshow below). While those claims may not last long in the face of competitors releasing their own ever-thinner designs, the Aspire S5 is also the first PC featuring the super-fast Thunderbolt interface, a feature previously seen only on Apple products.
With the release of the Aspire S5, Acer also plans to slash the price of the Acer Aspire S3, already on store shelves, by as much as $200. Given that the Aspire S3 is already one of the most affordable ultrabooks on the market at $899, such a price cut will surely spur more sales.
Acer has other ultrabooks on the way as well, with the upcoming Acer Timeline Ultra available in 14- and 15-inch models, with more coming after the release of Windows 8.
What does this increased push for ultrabooks mean for the rest of the laptop market? Though Acer's sales in the United States and Europe are expected to decline this year—by as much as 15 percent—the company expects sales in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and South America to make up the difference and even drive growth.
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