Leading laptop manufacturers will have to cope with the expected drop in sales this quarter. The situation will not change even with the December holiday season. Analysts at Digitimes Research forecast laptop sales to drop 1.8%.
For comparison, between June and September, deliveries increased by about 2%. The reasons for the expected trends are complex and also related to the trade sanctions the US government imposed on foreign companies.
Another leading factor is problems with the latest generation of Intel processors. Most brands are in no hurry to premiere new devices and are waiting for the tech giant to handle and restore a normal level of supply.
Most hardware manufacturers have a large inventory of current models that will go on sale in the coming weeks. It is only logical that this strategy will affect consumer behavior, with many likely to refrain from buying new laptops
HP will rely primarily on corporate influence to offset negative trends. Lenovo also expects minimal sales growth especially in the local market in China. The third largest manufacturer in this segment is Dell, which will be pleased with the minimal drop in worldwide sales.
Apple and Microsoft’s aggressive strategies are likely to provide positive performance by the end of the fourth quarter of the year, and even prepare for the premiere of new models.