Sony's Foray Into CULV Laptop Segment to Benefit Hon Hai, Quanta

Sony has recently unveiled its newest Vaio Y series notebook PCs, which are all based on Intel's CULV (consumer ultra low voltage) platform, showing its determination to venture into the segment for CULV laptops. This will benefit its Taiwanese contract suppliers, namely Hon Hai Group and Quanta Computer Inc., according to industry insiders.

Since Intel launched its CULV platform last year, a couple of large-sized international notebook PC brands, such as Asus, Acer, HP and Dell, have actively released their CULV-based models, as they are quite optimistic about the market trend of lightweight, ultrathin laptops.

Unsatisfied with CULV processor performance at that time, Sony didn't rush to develop and launch its CULV-based models until performance of CULV processors has been improved this year. Although already adding CULV laptops to its product portfolio this year, however, the brand stresses that it will keep concentrated on promotion of traditional notebook PCs.

Sony commanded a 10% share of the Taiwanese market for notebook PCs in terms of sales value as the No. 4 brand last year, but declined to the eighth place in terms of shipment volume in the global market, according to IDC's statistic compilation.

Institutional investors indicate that Sony must take actions against rivals in the market for notebook PCs, and one strategy the brand is likely to carry out is to increasingly farm out production of notebook PCs to its contract suppliers to achieve cost efficiency.

This will be good news for Hon Hai Group and Quanta, as around 80% of Sony's needed notebook PCs are supplied by the two Taiwanese manufacturers and the remainder made in Japan presently.

Source & Copyright: CENS