Acer to to expand their range of Chromebook and Android devices whilst scaling back on Windows laptops, a report out today says.
Company President Jim Wang has told investors that Acer are looking to ‘grow’ their non-Windows business ‘as soon as possible’.
The statement comes just days after Acer posted a second-quarter loss of $11.4 million owing to lower than expected sales of Windows laptops and PCs.
‘Big Sales Forecast’
‘Acer expect Chromebooks to help make up as much as 12% of Acer’s revenue by the year’s end.’
If Wang’s optimism for Chrome OS & Android devices proves well founded they’ll be looking at some big sales figures.
Wang expects smartphones and tablets running Android, along with newer Chromebooks, to make up as much as 12% of Acer’s revenue by the year’s end, and as much as 30% in 2014.
Chromebooks, Wang said, accounted for nearly 3% of Acer’s shipments in the second quarter, with Android adding 2%.
Even at 30% that still leaves lots of room for Windows. But Wang feels that Microsoft ‘has to do something to reestablish or reinforce confidence among PC users to get them to start buying again.
Acer’s C7 Chromebook was recently re-launched with an SSD hard-drive and improved battery.
- Source: WSJ