The Ultrabooks that are available today comes from ASUS and Acer with pretty high prices, with fairly decent hardware. Acer is expected to lower prices with around 20 percent next year, and 2013 Ultrabooks will reach down to the mainstream segment.
Many still don’t quite buy into the Intel Ultrabook concept, much due to the high prices. If we are to believe Acer that will change. The reason for the high prices is a combination of many factors, but one of them is that the manufacturers have to use components that have never had a high demand. That includes superthin unibody chassis, thin TN panels and basically everything costs more than regular components.
In 2012 the majority of notebooks makers are expected to embrace the concept, and when the industry finally get decent volumes of all necessary components prices are expected to go down. Both Acer and ASUS have more models coming in early 2012, and as the production volumes go up Acer are expected to lowe rprices of its Ultrabooks with 20 percent. The launch of Ivy Bridge will also be a strong factor, and is expected to lead to the breakthrough of the Ultrabook next year.
Acer expects to have shipped 250,000 to 300,000 Ultrabooks before the end of the year
But it is in 2013 that the Ultrabook will reach down to the mainstream segment where they can compete with regular notebooks. Acer hopes to offer Ultrabooks for 499 dollar. This is in line with what Intel has promised in the past, although it was lest optimistic and said 599 dollar with the launch of Haswell.
Acer has not been doing very well lately with the last few quarters in the red. Large stock in Europe has been one reason, something it has tried to correct with lower prices. Acer has tried to reduce its stock state from 80 days to 20 to 30 days to break the red pattern by the end of Q4, says VP Jim Wong. Acer’s new strategy will also include stopping shipping models in large volumes instead focus on product quality and demand, and with Acer’s reputation it sounds like a smart move.
