While the rest of the world seems to be heading to a post-PC era, it seems like pinoys still prefer PCs over tablets and other similar devices. According to IDC, the local PC market posted record shipments for Q3 of this year, which equates to 498,000 units. The portables segment grew 13% from the previous quarter, while the desktop segment remained stagnant, only shipping about 189,000 units. It seems that the main driver for notebook growth for this quarter has been mininotebooks (netbooks), with consumers responding favorably to aggressive price cuts like the Php 9,999 B3325N NEO notebook. Overall, the Philippines PC market increased by 7% sequentially and 25% year-on-year.
Price sensitivity is still a huge concern when buyers consider notebooks. According to Ng Juan Jin, Market Analyst for Client Devices Research at IDC ASEAN, “The popularity of mininotebooks is evidence of end users prioritizing affordability over more advanced specifications. The surge in shipments indicates that first time users are content with the functionality of mininotebooks. And, given the relatively low adoption rate of PCs and the large low-income segment in the Philippines, there is still growth potential for mininotebooks provided prices remain low relative to other competing IT devices.” Sequential and year-on-year growth rates for mininotebooks are at 29% and 36% respectively. He adds, “AMD’s new processors are also increasingly popular among MNCs that are looking to diversify their model lineup while keeping prices low.”