Dubai: The PC market will continue to exist just like the washing machines, Acer’s regional general manager told Gulf News.
“If your machine is not working after four or five years, you are definitely going to buy a new PC. Because of the emergence of new technologies, we are encouraging more and more people to change their machines,” said Daniel Trachino, General Manager for Acer Middle East and Africa (MEA).
A few years ago, there were only two form factors for PCs — desktop and laptop but now there are many form factors like 360-degree convertibles, tablets and two-in-one (tablet/laptop hybrid).
Trachino said that even battery life has improved to almost 11 hours today from three hours five years ago.
The Taiwanese firm has launched the world‘s thinnest notebook with 9.98mm and less than 1.2kg of weight — the 13.3-inch Swift 7, world‘s thinnest 360 degrees convertible — the 14-inch Spin 7, Predator Z1 Eye Tracking 27-inch curved gaming monitor and its upgraded gaming series Predator.
The Swift 7 is expected to be priced at Dh5,000 and will be available in November while the Predator 21 curved gaming laptop in the first quarter of next year.
“The PC market will continue to be flat or slightly down. In Western Europe and Pan America, the PC industry is positive. It is difficult to make a prediction in the MEA markets due to weak oil prices and geopolitical tensions. It is not the reality of the market,” he said.
Two-in-one notebooks
Today, he said that the regular notebook is heading south but the convertible and two-in-one (tablet/laptop hybrid) form factors are growing a lot.
The share of convertibles and two-in-one notebooks in the UAE is around 17 per cent, according to research firm GfK. By 2019, he said the share of convertibles and two-in-one notebooks should grow more than 35 per cent of the total notebook sales.
In UAE and Saudi Arabia, gaming machines are popular and Acer holds 23 per cent market share in July in Saudi Arabia and 21 per cent in the UAE.
The gaming machines are priced between Dh7,000 to Dh20,000.
“We want to lead the market in strategic segments and channels. In two-in-one form factor, we are number one by far in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and number two in the UAE but still way behind in Saudi Arabia in convertibles.
“Our intention is to become number one in two-in-one, convertibles, gaming laptops and gaming monitors,” he said.
He said that the Europe, Middle East and North Africa region accounts for the biggest share of revenues worldwide at 37 per cent, compared to 36 per cent in Pan Asia and 27 per cent in Pan America.
Expand product range
He said that Dubai which was once the main market for re-exports is totally finished. So, Acer is shifting its focus more on retail segments in every country.
“Before, we used to do everything from Dubai but now, we have distributors in more than 40 countries in the region. In the consumer retail space, we are number three in the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” Trachino said.
With this in mind, he said that Acer has made it its mission to expand its product range with industry-first features that deliver on every front — so reliability, performance, design, flexibility and security.
“At Acer, we place innovation at the core of our business ethos. Throughout our 40 years, our products have evolved and developed, but one thing has not changed — the company’s mission to break barriers between people and technology,” he said.
