Windows 8 May Finally Help Ultrabooks Take Off

believes it’s now or never for ultrabooks:

“One of the biggest factors hindering ultrabook sales has been the awaited launch of Windows 8. However, with the launch of Windows 8, we may see a double whammy effect. A number of consumers have held off from computer purchases so they could purchase an ultrabook with Windows 8 during the year. Furthermore, with the abundance of new ultrabook model releases, older systems’ prices will reduce and this will entice purchases from the low to mid-range price segment.”

ABI Research predicts 21 million ultrabooks to be sold this year, half of them in the North American markets and the other majority in Western Europe and Asia Pacific regions. This puts it at nearly double the amount Apple has project for its MacBook for the year 2012 – 13.8 million units. This nevertheless makes it a totally different estimate to the market reality where PC makers have seen little difference to their numbers after the release of Windows 8. Besides, the biggest selling point of Windows 8 is the touch optimized interface, and unless touchscreens become a regular feature on ultrabooks, chances of these sleek machines catching fire are slim indeed. And finally, Intel’s Haswell platform is looming rage for next year, promising a lot of new features, impressive battery times and remarkable performances in newer games. Exciting times indeed, but again, it could go either way. Are you ready to spend bundles of cash for an ultrabook? Sound off below.]]>