14 DAY TRIAL // It appears that ASUS' CEO, Jerry Shen, is not only confident in the future of his company's netbook lineup, but also very enthusiastic about it as well. After speaking of the possibility of touchscreen Eee PCs and Windows 7-powered netbooks, due to arrive sometime next year, Mr. Shen has recently mentioned yet another goal set for the Eee PC lineup. Apparently, the company is planning to unveil a new Eee PC model that will be priced at US$200, and should become available in 2009.
According to a recent article in Digitimes, ASUS has big plans for the Eee PC brand, which include its extension with the arrival of new and better-featured models. Aside from the touchscreen and Windows 7-enabled Eee PC systems, the Taiwanese manufacturer is also considering producing a model that will provide users with the benefits of an ultra-portable computer system, but at a price tag that most consumers will see as more than adequate. A $200 Eee PC might bring ASUS' vast lineup of netbooks closer to the initial concept of a small-sized, ultra portable, low power and low cost computer that comes with Internet capabilities.
Mr. Shen also pointed out that the company's current 7- and 8.9-inch Eee PC models were expected to phase out in 2009, as the company planned to focus on the 10-inch form factor. Add this to the $200 Eee PC news, and you will probably get a general idea of what to expect from ASUS for the coming year - namely a 10-inch Eee PC that comes at an affordable $200 price point.
The Eee PC brand is said to count for as much as 22% of the company's revenues, while motherboards and graphics cards settle at 19%. Future grosses will still be based on notebooks, which currently count for 47% of ASUS' income, but upcoming netbooks could help the company further boost its profits. According to Jerry Shen, for 2009, ASUS expects to grab a 30% share in the market of notebooks, with netbook shipments reaching somewhere between 6 - 7.5 million units, out of an estimated total of 20-25 million units worldwide.