14 DAY TRIAL // Now that the global economy is on a rebound, sales of all types of devices have started to go up. In tune with this phenomenon, hardware makers and PC vendors are also setting higher goals for 2010. MSI is among those that aim to make a significant step forward this year, having resolved to sell enough all-in-one desktops to become world's fifth greatest AiO supplier.
According to a Digitimes report, MSI shipped about 300,000 all-in-one personal computers in 2009. This makes it Taiwan's largest supplier of such devices and the sixth greatest in the world, in a context where 2009 global AiO shipments reached about six million in total.
For 2010, the same market is expected to grow to 15 million. This year, Micro-Star International, according to Shao-ling Lin, president of system unit sales, hopes to raise the number of sold all-in-ones to 1,000,000. Other goals include reaching a similar number of desktop shipments and becoming a Top 10 desktop supplier worldwide.
In order to reach the intended target sales, MSI will be releasing a number of high-end desktop systems, priced between $2,517 and $3,146 in the second half of the year. New all-in-one models will debut in April-May, along with a 3D version in June. This system will carry a price tag of roughly $2,000.
Of course, the company is aware of the fact that current components, such as hard drives, Blu-ray drives, LCD panels, DRAM and graphics chips, among other things, are faced with tight supply. This means that system prices will fluctuate until April/May, when the shortages are expected to be sorted out.
If the Taiwanese maker succeeds in meeting its target shipments, it may manage to take away the number 5 position as worldwide AiO supplier from Acer. The other top five vendors are Apple, HP, Sony and NEC.