14 DAY TRIAL // With how Intel is pushing for the adoption of the ultrabook laptop concept, it appears that first-tier notebook markets are making some changes to the way they get their own machines designed and sold.
Normally, notebook makers are the ones who get to choose what cooling modules, hinges and chassis end up servicing the mobile PCs of brand vendors.
The latter, while they do retain the purchasing rights for HDDs, batteries, displays, CPUs and other key components, they usually give makers some leeway for everything else.
Nevertheless, the tablet market caused Intel to come up with the Ultrabook concept, one it hopes to see gaining 40% of the consumer laptop market by the end of next year (2012).
This could cause some issues with supply capacity of chassis, so top-tier notebook vendors decided to retrieve their purchasing rights for enclosures.
According to a report made by Digitimes, the list includes Acer, Dell, ASUS and HP, they having also begun to place orders for the first half of 2012.
This phenomenon may have started off on a very alert pace, but it is not as surprising as one might expect.
Ultrathin designs are, after all, becoming something akin to the new mainstream type of notebook, so it makes sense that vendors would try to cover all angles in order to ensure that supply remains smooth in the future.
One consequence of it all will be a rise in demand for metal cases. The percentage is not clear yet, but visible upwards evolution should be felt as early as the first half of 2012.
In anticipation of this, chassis makers are enacting plans to purchase more CNC machines. Foxconn, for example, means to buy 100,000 to add to its existing 9,000, while Catcher Technology will make sure it has 13,00-15,000 ones by the end of 2011.