Shipments of mobile computers jumped 43.4% in the quarter to 49.4 million units, research firm Gartner has reported – the highest level in eight years.
This figure represents about $36 billion in sales, the firm said. Additionally, this number is set to grow during the rest of the year and in 2011, with companies expected to take on mobile PCs to replace older, broken down models.
The firm also found prices for mobile PCs, a category covering laptops, netbooks and tablets, dropped by 15.7% in the quarter to $US732.
Hewlett-Packard maintained its position as the top manufacturer, with 19.2% of the market. Yet the company, along with Dell and Toshiba, recorded growth rates below the industry’s 43.4% average.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
