Ubercool

My Lappy

February 25th, 2008

Last month’s unveiling of Apple’s MacBook Air unleashed a torrent of consumer passion, both pro and con. That Apple’s innovative design could peak so much consumer interest is not surprising. But the MacBook Air added a new wrinkle: it is one the most compromised laptops Apple has created since the launch of the original Mac Portable.

Like mobile phones, laptops are quickly becoming an extension of one’s persona. They’re such an essential part of the consumer’s communication toolbox that users now refer to their notebook computers as “my lappy.” The computer has evolved into a digital pet of sorts, one deserving its own diminutive.

ASUS fueled the mini-laptop trend last June with its Eee PC. Less than a year later, a host of marketers are launching their own offerings. HP’s Mini-Note ($500) has all the usual laptop features in a size deserving of the “lappy” nomenclature.

IDC expects notebook shipments to rise 26% in 2008, reaching about 137 million shipments worldwide, up from 109 million in 2007. Desktops shipments, meanwhile, totaled 151 million in 2007, essentially flat at 4% growth.

While laptops now make up 42% of global shipments, at its current growth pace, laptops will surpass desktop sales by 2009. The result will be a vastly expanded marketplace presenting new opportunities for innovative marketers.

The shifting landscape has already changed the rules of the game. Dell, for example, has seen its share wither as the need to touch and feel notebooks before buying has become more important than was the case with desktop PCs.

And because the consumer is now at the forefront of computer trends, big business no longer dictates market direction, which also affects the performance of vendors like Dell who specialize in selling to businesses.

It also explains why the debate surrounding the MacBook Air’s introduction was at times so heated that many “hate” threads surfaced in user forums, a phenomenon first seen with the launch of the iPhone. Still, the market is poised for growth, particularly in these emerging segments:

Subnotebooks

The Apple MacBook Air ($1,800-$3,100) reflects a downsizing trend. Four years ago, the industry was awash in “desktop replacements.” Now, the market is steadily moving towards thin-and-light notebooks, which are defined as those weighing three pounds (1.4kg) or less.

Fashionista laptops

It used to be that laptops could either be had in black or, heaven forbid, beige plastic. Apple’s white iBook changed all that so now most manufacturers offer colors, metals and textures, as evidenced by one of Sony’s latest 2.6-pound (1.2kg) VAIO TZ92 models, which comes in black carbon-fiber “Mode Mesh.”

Luxury lappys

The luxury laptop trend got a turbo boost in January with the release of the first Penryn-based ASUS Lamborghini VX3, which boasts a 45-nanometer architecture to improve performance and battery life. The partnership between a luxury brand and a computer maker is a rare occurence today but is sure to grow as users begin to demand “where’s my Louis Vuitton lappy?”

Both the Apple MacBook Air and Sony TZ boast a new storage standard, an optional SSD (Solid State Drive or flash storage), which is on a trajectory to overtake hard drives within two years, primarily due to its lack of moving parts, a feature that increases speed and reliability.

Another trend, as exemplified by the ASUS VX3 pictured above, will be the quality and branding of accessories included with laptops. As manufacturers draw closer on the feature side, expect innovative brands to appeal to consumers with more eclectic packaging, giving lappy lovers one more reason to fall in love.

Ubertrends: Digital Lifestyle, Generation X-tasy
Value Propellants: Mobility, Connectivity, Convenience, Convergence, Freedom, Indulgence

Entry Filed under: Computers