Acer founder Stan Shih has declared that ultrabooks and tablets are both short-term fads. At the same time, he has urged companies in the notebook supply chain to innovate further and create products with even more value, according to DigiTimes.
Shih specifically referred to Apple's success with the iPad, saying that all notebook players should learn from Cupertino's outside-the-box thinking. He also noted that tablets are just extensions of the original PC, and all further innovation will have to once again start from the PC.
As in other market segments, Acer is trying to undercut its competitors. Shih believes that consumers want products with low price and convenience, and each player will need to face such pressures in the tablet arena. The Acer Iconia Tab A500 (our review) starts at $450 while the Acer Iconia Tab A100 starts at $350.
I'm not sure I believe that ultrabooks and tablets are a short-term fad, but I may have a different definition of short-term. I simply believe they are niche markets that will grow quite a bit in the coming years, until they are replaced by other more convenient form factors.
Both of these types of PCs are really nothing new. They are expected to explode because the price range for both of them is finally at a point where the average consumer can justify it. Computer parts have finally reached a point where they are both powerful and small enough that ultrabooks and tablets can be purchased under the $500 price point, and as we know, that's one of the sweet spots of the PC industry.