Intel to Lead the Ultra Mobile PC Market

As the technology for portable computer systems continues to advance, so does the market interest for better, faster ultra-mobile devices that incorporate even a larger number of built-in features. The market is already quite extensive, as it includes ultra-mobile devices (UMDs), netbooks and mobile Internet devices (MIDs). However, it is believed that this market will grow considerably in the upcoming years, which could ultimately make Intel the leading provider of x86 processors for such small-sized, portable computer devices.

 

As most of you already know, Intel is, and has been for quite some time now, the leading maker of computer processors. The company's recently released Atom processor has had a successful run on the emerging market of netbooks and nettops, as most of these devices are powered by the company's 1.6GHz processor. It is expected that the Atom will continue to grow in number of shipments, allowing the Santa Clara, California-based Intel to capitalize on a market where it hardly has any competition.

 

ABI Research, a market research company, predicts that the total revenues earned by vendors in the UMD market will increase from $3.5 billion in 2008 to nearly $27 billion in 2013. The research firm says that, in 2013, more than half of all UMDs will be powered by x86 processors, most of which will be based on Intel's Atom. Also, ABI Research says that Linux will account for the most of the number of UMDs, outnumbering even Windows-powered devices.

 

“MIDs without cellular voice will be seen by users as ‘companion devices’,” says Philip Solis, principal analyst for ABI Research. “They will be used in addition to mobile phones and not necessarily carried at all times. Cellular voice-enabled MIDs, in contrast, will be able to replace phones entirely; they will become the new high-end smartphones.” Solis further explained.