Ultrabook Sales Gloom – Just a Technical (Journalists) Hitch

Posted on 11 November 2011, Last updated on 11 November 2011 by

Here we are, a few weeks into availability of a few Ultrabook devices in a few parts of the world and the big news over the last 2 days is that sales are disappointing and orders have been cut back.

Earlier in the week, tech journalists were excited about the growth possibilities following a report from iSuppli.

Is it really sensible to make judgements now?

I looked through Amazon UK, Germany and USA today and to he honest, you’ll have trouble buying an Ultrabook right now. The same is true of most retailers. In the important European market Acer are the only manufacturer that have achieved wide availability to date. In Germany, the largest country in Europe, it’s tough to find a single device. I’m sure Australia, Canada and the big Indian, Taiwan, Japanese and South Korean markets aren’t much better. The point is that Ultrabooks are late. Is it any surprise that numbers are less than expected? Is it any surprise that no-one really has the big picture yet?

Before condemning the production numbers as a ‘fail’, as a lot of ‘tech journalists’ seem to revel in doing, wouldn’t it be better to check what’s happening at the other end of the market, and to check what was written a week ago?

Update: As I check this article and add the links before posting, a new story has emerged from the same source that generated the gloom in the first place. They’re telling us that Acer will now meet their sales targets.

5 Comments For This Post

  1. Ivan says:

    In Canada, I’m seeing no indication of when I can purchase any of these fine looking machines. I even had my CDW rep contact the Lenovo rep last week, and he didn’t have a clue. Seemed to indicate that the U300 was just a retail class machine… like a netbook!!! Thanks for the website, I visit everyday.

  2. Jon says:

    How do I get a job as an analyst? Make up wild, inflammatory predictions, and then days (or in this case perhaps hours?) later make a complete flip-flop prediction and pretend that’s what I’d said the whole time. Oh, and get paid to do that. Sounds like a cushy job to me.

    Thanks for providing a calming voice in the turbulent sea of exclamations that is the Internet.

  3. Michael says:

    You are right Chippy. With no or very low supply, how can they assume ultrabook sales ae low?

    This is bad journalism.

  4. Chippy says:

    I fear there is very little ‘journalism’ in the tech reporting world right now. Almost everyone seems to be playing a game of giving Google’s search robots as much as they can eat.

  5. Michael says:

    Some reports say they have cut back on supply due to the low demand.

    Even if this is true, the manufacturers need to break away from the chicken and egg scenario.

    They need to sell at lower prices albeit at a loss initially to gain marketshare and increase demand. Once it becomes so common, carrying a thick or a fat notebook becomes a stigma and the thin look will become the defacto standard.

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