IBM Sets U.S. Patent Record; Achieves 21st Straight Year of Patent Leadership

IBM inventors received more than 6,800 U.S. patents in 2013 including 3 from Malaysia

PETALING JAYA 27 Jan 2014:  IBM (NYSE: IBM) inventors received a record-setting 6,809 patents for 2013, making it the 21st consecutive year the company topped the annual list of U.S. patent leaders. The 6,809 patents included three that were awarded to Malaysian teams whose inventions have helped our clients improve their business processes.

The three local patents were for the following inventions: automated paper consumption tracking and auditing;  message oriented construction of web services; and, spacer and process to enhance the strain in the channel with stress liner.

"IBMers in Malaysia are proud with the recognition that underscores that when talent and creativity are combined with teamwork, the results are immeasurable," said IBM Malaysia managing director, Paul Moung.

“We take pride in being recognized as the U.S. patent leader, but patents are only one gauge of innovation. Equally significant is the impact that our patented inventions have when they are used to enable solutions that help clients and societies solve problems,”said Bernie Meyerson, IBM Fellow and VP of Innovation. “Furthermore, the broad range of inventions that these patents represent underscores the need for a patent system that equally and fairly promotes and supports innovation across all technical fields.”

IBM's 2013 patent total exceeded the combined totals of Amazon, Google, EMC, HP, Intel, Oracle/SUN and Symantec. The company's record 2013 patent count was made possible by more than 8,000 IBM inventors residing in 47 different U.S. states and 41 countries.

The Top Ten list of 2013 U.S. patent recipients* includes:
1 IBM 6,809
2 Samsung 4,676
3 Canon 3,825
4 Sony 3,098
5 Microsoft 2,660
6 Panasonic 2,601
7 Toshiba 2,416
8 Hon Hai 2,279
9 Qualcomm 2,103
10 LG Electronics 1,947

Toshiba Announces New TV Strategy with Introduction of TVs Designed to Provide a Truly Exciting Viewing Experience

Singapore - Toshiba Corporation today announced its new strategy for driving growth in ASEAN and underlined its commitment to the fast growing region with the launch of the Toshiba “Pro Theatre”, a new line-up of LED TVs designed to provide viewers with a truly exciting viewing experience.

Toshiba positions growth in the ASEAN economies as the cornerstone of its strategy. By providing a broad range of high-value products that are closely attuned to the demands and changing lifestyles of the ASEAN countries, Toshiba aims to achieve more than 20% market share in unit terms in this region by the end of Fiscal Year 2014.The Toshiba “Pro Theatre” line-up is the first step to achieving this goal.

“The core value of TVs is how we can maximize the excitement that viewers get from the large screen. That’s ‘the entertainment power of TV,’” said Shigenori Tokumitsu, President of Digital Products & Services Company, an in-house company of Toshiba Corporation. “Movies give us our most immersive viewing experiences because viewers can feel the passions and thoughts that the writer, director and film crew make a stunning reality. We want to do the same with the ‘Pro Theatre’ TVs. Using our superb image processing technologies, we want to offer them as the ‘Best TVs for Watching Movies’”.

Toshiba will launch three new series of ‘Pro Theatre’ in the ASEAN market: the flagship L9300 Series; the L4300 series, Toshiba’s first TVs with the AndroidTM operating system; and the L3300 series featuring “Turbo LED” and “Detail Booster”.

All of the TVs in the “Pro Theatre” line-up feature “Intelligent Auto View”, a new technology that monitors room brightness, and other aspects of the viewing environment. It then automatically adjusts picture parameters such as color temperature, color depth, sharpness, and backlight. Meticulous fine tuning of these characteristics ensures that the “Pro Theatre” line-up delivers optimal movie quality at all times. This new technology is grounded in studies of the human brain-eye characteristics and on analysis of the picture parameters in the professional monitors used by film makers.

■ L9300 series - Flagship TVs 

Featuring four times the resolution of today’s 1080p full HD TVs, the L9300 series delivers the ultimate viewing experience for movies and TV shows. Powered by Toshiba’s proprietary CEVO 4K and equipped with a Quad core CPU, the L9300 series delivers the highest quality Ultra HD image processing, including “Resolution Restoration” to restore clean, near Ultra HD image quality from less than 4K content and “Surface Brilliance Enhancement” that brings images to life like never before.

With over eight million pixels on an Ultra HD display, the L9300 series allows viewers to sit closer to the screen than with a standard HD TV set without being distracted by the pixel structure. Not only that, Toshiba’s advanced image processing technologies enable viewers to enjoy pin-sharp images and read small text easily. With this flagship series, Toshiba expects to establish a strong presence in ASEAN’s high-end TV market.

The L9300 series, available in 58- and 84-inch models, is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter of 2013.

■L4300 Series - Toshiba’s first TV with the Android OS

Alongside an exciting home viewing experience and superb picture quality, for those viewers who want the extended viewing pleasure of access to the internet and its universe of content, Toshiba offers the L4300 series, its first “TV with AndroidTM. It opens up access to the wide array of AndroidTM apps and offers a convenient way to browse and enjoy content. The L4300 series supports YouTube™, and images from the video sharing website are reproduced clearer and smoother thanks to Toshiba’s superb image processing technology.

The L4300 series, available in 39- and 50-inch models, is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter of 2013.

■L3300 series – Innovative “Turbo LED” and “Detail Booster”

The L3300 series showcases two of Toshiba’s latest innovations in image processing: “Turbo LED” and “Detail Booster”. “Turbo LED” boosts brightness dramatically, by 50%[1], delivering clearer, smoother images with superb resolution. The feature is controlled by the viewer and can be used when needed, keeping power consumption to a reasonable level. “Detail Booster” enhances both resolution and image texture. It improves overall resolution by restoring image edge sharpness affected by the upscaling process, while texture enhancement analyses the original images and hones a stereoscopic effect by strengthening their brilliance. With brighter, cleaner pictures, it delivers greater viewing pleasure.  The L3300 series also supports YouTube™.　The L3300 series, available in 32- and 39 inch models, is scheduled to ship in September 2013.

The global TV trend is to big screens and high definition. The new “Pro Theatre” line-up reflects this and adds much more. Drawing on Toshiba’s leading-edge imaging technologies to enhance picture quality and create precise images, Toshiba continues to deliver a truly exciting viewing experience on bigger and better screens.

Important: 
l  All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Exact product specifications depend on model and local availability.

l  Product specifications, configurations and the availability of systems, components and options described herein are subject to change without notice.

Notes: [1] Comparison to FY2012 model, PB200

Toshiba Flagship Concept Store Opens in Kuching, Sarawak

First exclusively Toshiba store in Cityone Megamall, Kuching

MALAYSIA, 31 May 2013 – Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd’s Digital Products and Services Division, in partnership with its mobile computing partner, Tele Dynamics Sdn Bhd, today opens a new, exclusive Toshiba Concept Store at City One Megamall. This is the first store in Kuching to sell exclusively Toshiba Notebook PCs, options & accessories.

Improved Design and Offerings
Sporting a new, improved design for Toshiba Concept Stores or shopToshibas, this flagship shopToshiba in City One Megamall will be the first of its kind in Kuching. The other Toshiba concept stores are in Plaza Lowyat, Digital Mall and Johor Bahru. The store will sell the complete range of Toshiba notebook PCs, from the Qosmio series that appeals to gaming enthusiasts, to the award- winning Portégé series of thin, light, powerful notebook PCs, the Satellite series of mainstream and entertainment notebook PCs, and the Tecra series of business notebook PCs. One can also look forward to tinkering with Toshiba’s widest range of UltrabooksTM, including the World’s first Ultra-wide 21:9 cinematic display Ultrabook™, the Satellite U840W. Accompanying options and accessories, such as Toshiba Projectors, External Portable Hard Disk Drives and other accessories will also be made available at this store.

(from left) SIS System’s managing directors Alex Tiong and Sean JS Liak, receiving a commemorative opening award from Tele Dynamics PC Division’s Senior manager Chow Tee Wei, Kuching Branch Manager Dominic Lu and channel account manager Nancy Yii, at the grand opening of Toshiba Concept store in CityONE Megamall.

Convenience for Customers The new retail space is located on second floor of City One Megamall, the latest shopping haven in Sarawak. “Toshiba sees great potential and look forward to a greater presence and better engagement of customers in Sarawak. The store presents our complete range of notebook PCs, options and accessories. The prime, easily accessible location makes it convenient for customers to come and experience our latest technology and innovations”, said Leong Chee Keong, Group Manager, Toshiba’s Digital Products and Services Division.

Customers queuing up to grab the Happy Hour Promotions, where Toshiba 8GB Flash Drive @ RM9.90 and Toshiba 500GB External Portable Hard Drive @ RM99. Available from 31May-2 June at 2pm & 6pm.

Giveaways Galore at Grand Opening To celebrate the Grand Opening of the flagship Toshiba Concept Store on 31st May 20113, customers can enjoy three-day special offer from 31 May to 2nd June. 8GB Toshiba Flash Drive at RM9.90 and 500GB Toshiba Portable External Hard Disk Drive at RM99 are up for grabs during Happy Hour at 2pm & 6pm.1 Also, attractive sure win lucky draw prizes will be given away for any purchases of RM150 and above.

Comprehensive Service & Support Offerings

All Toshiba PCs and Tablets are backed by Toshiba’s extensive service and support. Toshiba offers several options for expanding the service plan on your notebook. Our SelectServ Program has been designed to allow you to customize your notebook’s warranty coverage depending on your budget and needs. Please contact or visit your nearest local Authorized Service Provider to get more information.

Connect with Toshiba on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToshibaNotebookPc, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ToshibaNotebook and on YouTube at youtube.com/user/ToshibaNotebookPc

1. While stocks last. Terms & Conditions Apply

Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 8 Percent in Third Quarter of 2012 as the Market Prepares for the Launch of Windows 8

Lenovo Takes Slight Lead Over HP for No. 1 Global Position

Kuala Lumpur, 12 October 2012 — Worldwide PC shipments totaled 87.5 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a decline of 8.3 percent compared with the third quarter of 2011, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc.

"A continuing slowdown in consumer PC shipments played a big part in the overall PC market decline," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. "The third quarter was also a transitional quarter before Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system release, so shipments were less vigorous as vendors and their channel partners liquidated inventory.

"Retailers were conservative in placing orders as they responded to weak back-to-school sales. By the end of September, retailers were focused on clearing out inventory in advance of the Windows 8 launch later this month," Ms. Kitagawa said. "On the professional side, there was minimum impact from Windows 8 in the quarter because the professional market will not adopt Windows 8 PCs immediately after the release."

Lenovo took the No. 1 position in worldwide PC shipments for the first time in the company's history, as its share increased to 15.7 percent, while HP's global PC share was at 15.5 percent (see Table 1). In addition to acquiring other vendors, Lenovo has also taken an aggressive position on pricing, especially in the professional market. As a result, Lenovo has achieved significant market share gains over the last two years, exceeding regional average growth rates across all regions.

Table 1

Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q12 (Units)

Company	3Q12 Shipments	3Q12 Market Share (%)	3Q11 Shipments	3Q11 Market Share (%)	3Q12-3Q11 Growth (%)
Lenovo	13,767,976	15.7	12,536,756	13.1	9.8
HP	13,550,761	15.5	16,217,987	17.0	-16.4
Dell	9,216,638	10.5	10,676,513	11.2	-13.7
Acer Group	8,633,267	9.9	9,616,572	10.1	-10.2
ASUS	6,380,690	7.3	5,708,807	6.0	11.8
Others	35,954,748	41.1	40,683,666	42.6	-11.6
Total	87,504,080	100.0	95,440,301	100.0	-8.3

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs and mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but not media tablets such as the iPad.

Source: Gartner (October 2012)

Although it finished the quarter very close to Lenovo, HP has given up the top PC vendor position for the first time since the third quarter of 2006. HP is currently restructuring its device business, including PCs, tablets and printers. HP's main concern is achieving a good balance between market share gain and margin protection.

Dell was the No. 3 vendor in PC shipments worldwide in the third quarter of 2012. While Dell suffered a steeper shipment decline than the worldwide average, it was less impacted by the upcoming release of Windows 8 because of its strong focus in the professional market. Dell continues to gradually transform itself from a PC/device supplier to a solution provider.

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 15.3 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a 13.8 percent decline compared with the same period last year.

"The third quarter has historically been driven by back-to-school sales, but U.S. PC shipments did not increase, not even sequentially, from the second quarter of 2012. Channels were conservative in placing orders," Ms. Kitagawa said. "Professional PC shipments in the U.S. began slowing in the second quarter of this year, and they continued the trend in the third quarter. The results indicate that the replacement peak may have passed in the professional sector."

Four of the top 5 vendors in the U.S. market experienced shipment declines. HP maintained the No. 1 position in the U.S. market despite a shipment decline of 19.3 percent (see Table 2). Lenovo was the only vendor among the top 5 to increase shipments. Both Acer and Toshiba shipments declined significantly due to the tough environment in the consumer market. Apple expected to have a PC shipment decline due to softness in the public market, but the company faced a slowdown in the consumer market.

Table 2
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 3Q12 (Units)

Company	3Q12 Shipments	3Q12 Market Share (%)	3Q11 Shipments	3Q11 Market Share (%)	3Q12-3Q11 Growth (%)
HP	4,141,926	27.0	5,129,338	28.9	-19.3
Dell	3,270,705	21.4	3,886,864	21.9	-15.9
Apple	2,078,900	13.6	2,213,826	12.5	-6.1
Lenovo	1,357,882	8.9	1,279,884	7.2	6.1
Acer Group	989,725	6.5	1,378,768	7.8	-28.2
Toshiba	989,600	6.5	1,486,100	8.4	-33.4
Others	2,488,799	16.2	2,390,157	13.5	4.1
Total	15,317,537	100.0	17,764,937	100.0	-13.8

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs and mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but not media tablets such as the iPad.

Source: Gartner (October 2012)

From a regional perspective, PC shipments in EMEA totaled 25.8 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a decline of 8.7 percent from the same quarter last year. After two quarters of positive growth in the first half of 2012, the EMEA market experienced its biggest decline in four years. The lack of appeal and innovation in PCs combined with a challenging economic environment diverted user spending elsewhere. Western Europe saw very weak shipments across all countries, as retailers reduced Windows 7 inventory in anticipation of Windows 8 products.

In Asia/Pacific, PC shipments reached 31.3 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a 5.6 percent decline from the third quarter of 2011. Weak demand was brought about as potential buyers chose to reign in or delay their purchases. China's slowing economy was more acutely felt in the region in the third quarter, creating an even more conservative approach to spending. Although there were government PC initiatives in India and China to drive PC sales, they failed to offset the general market weakness.

Preliminary results show PC shipments in Latin America surpassed 9.7 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a 6.2 percent decline from the same period last year. Mobile PC shipments were flat, and desk-based PC shipments declined 14.3 percent. Brazilian businesses and schools may postpone their IT purchasing due to the expected "Brasil Maior" tax incentives that were announced late in the quarter. The tax incentives will begin in 2013, and this is when Gartner expects IT investments to drive PC shipments into the professional segment.

In Japan, PC shipments totaled 3.7 million units in the third quarter, a 5.4 percent decline from the third quarter of 2011. The professional segment grew slightly higher than expected, but the market was impacted by the consumer segment. Most of the major vendors did not introduce new models of mainstream products in September due to the preparation for Windows 8.

These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner's PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe.

Intel Tantalizes Consumers with ‘Ultrabook Temptations’

Six Experiments Filmed in Four Cities, Three Countries

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16, 2012 – What would you do for an Ultrabook™ computer? That’s the question Intel Corporation asks in Ultrabook™ Temptations, a series of six light-hearted experiments filmed in four cities across three countries and posted to YouTube today.

Sleek and stylish, Ultrabooks are a new category of computers inspired by Intel. They are the next generation of mobile computing -- thinner, lighter and more responsive than traditional laptops, yet just as powerful and secure.

“People are drawn to Ultrabooks. When you see one, you just want one,” said Claudine Pache, digital marketing manager for Intel Australia and New Zealand. “We created the ‘Ultrabook Temptations’ to see just how far people would go to get their hands on one.”

The six experiments, filmed in Australia, Indonesia and Thailand, set out to explore the depth of human emotions that surround these objects of desire. The experiments were “temptations” for consumers, encouraging them to go a little beyond their everyday comfort zone to earn the chance to become the proud owner of a sleek Ultrabook. The experiments were filmed spontaneously in an effort to introduce Ultrabooks and are available for viewing by an online audience.

In ”Daring Temptation” for example, an Ultrabook is installed in a display case near a busy area with the simple instruction to “Smash Glass to Win Ultrabook” and a small hammer. Would commuters prove daring enough to smash the glass in public and claim the prize?

According to Jayant Murty, Intel’s Asia Pacific director of brand strategy and integrated marketing, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes product stories are best told through the eyes of our prospective consumers. We hope that seeing the videos will stir up enough interest to go look for Ultrabooks at your nearest computer store.”

The first Ultrabooks -- from brands* such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and Toshiba -- are in stores now. By the end of the year, Intel expects more than 75 designs in market and that Ultrabooks will become mainstream devices.

The Ultrabook Temptations series can be seen at www.intel.com/ultrabooktemptations

WD REACHES AGREEMENT WITH TOSHIBA CORPORATION TO DIVEST CERTAIN 3.5-INCH HDD ASSETS

Kuala Lumpur – 5 March 2012 –Western Digital Corp. (NYSE: WDC) today reported that it has reached an agreement with Toshiba Corporation to divest certain assets to address the requirements of regulatory agencies that have conditionally approved or are continuing to review the company’s planned acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST). The asset package covered by the agreement will enable Toshiba to manufacture and sell 3.5-inch hard drives for the desktop and consumer electronics markets and will enhance its ability to manufacture and sell 3.5-inch hard drives for near-line (business critical) applications. The divestiture transaction is subject to review by regulatory agencies in certain jurisdictions.

WD also reported that it has agreed, subject to completion of the divestiture transaction, to purchase Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand) Company Limited (TSDT). TSDT manufactured hard drives but has not resumed operations after the recent Thailand flooding. The principal assets of TSDT are its Thailand property, facilities and employees. Subject to completion of the transaction, WD plans to integrate these facilities and employees into its Thailand operations. The financial terms of the two agreements were not disclosed.

The closing of the transactions with Toshiba is conditioned on WD’s closing of its planned acquisition of HGST, which remains subject to several closing conditions, including the receipt of certain remaining antitrust approvals. Subject to obtaining these approvals, the company is targeting the transactions with Toshiba to close in March 2012.

Intel Malaysia introduces Wang Lee Hom as Ultrabook Spokesperson

American-Taiwanese superstar to boost promotion of Ultrabook™ in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 16, 2012 - Intel Malaysia has announced today the appointment of multi-talented American-Taiwanese star Wang Lee Hom as a spokesperson for the Ultrabook™ in Malaysia. In conjunction with this relationship, Intel Malaysia will be giving away Lee Hom’s Open Fire 火力全開 Deluxe Double CD album to the first 200 purchasers of an Ultrabook™*.

“We are very excited to have a star as charismatic and extraordinarily creative as Wang Lee Hom supporting our ongoing journey to introduce the Ultrabook to Malaysians as the next level of personal computing.” said Prakash Mallya, Country Manager of Sales and Marketing, Intel Malaysia. “This dynamic collaboration matches Intel’s pursuit for extraordinary performance in computing which has underlined the very creation of the Ultrabook™.
The Ultrabook™ category was first introduced in June 2011 and has created an extraordinary transformation of the personal computing experience. With Ultrabooks, people can now create and consume content using a sleek, light and fashionable device.

“At Intel, we are excited about the Ultrabook™. The Ultrabook was designed to meet the demands and lifestyle of trendy consumers today, while providing a satisfying personal computing experience, both from an emotional and rational perspective. I believe Lee Hom is an excellent choice to represent this category,” said Mallya.

In Malaysia, several Ultrabook™ models have already been introduced by major PC manufacturers including Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo and Toshiba.

To kick off this year-long relationship with Wang Lee Hom, Intel Malaysia is offering an exclusive Ultrabook™ promotion now till 29 February 2012. The first 200 customers who purchase selected models of a 2nd generation Intel Core Processor based Ultrabook™ before the designated deadline will receive Wang Lee Hom’s Open Fire 火力全開 Deluxe Double CD album. Simply scan or take a photo of your purchase receipt, upload it to the app on Intel Malaysia’s Facebook, titled “Lee Hom CDs Up for Grabs!” and complete the form with your contact details to participate in this promotion **.

For more information about this promotion, kindly visit www.intel.com/my/ultrabook .


马来西亚英特尔邀得王力宏为 Ultrabook™ 代言人


吉隆坡，2012年1月16 日 – 马来西亚英特尔今天宣布委任多才多艺的美籍台裔巨星王力宏为马来西亚Ultrabook™ 的发言人。配合此合作关系，马来西亚英特尔将赠送王力宏的火力全开精装双CD专辑给首200名购买Ultrabook™ *的消费者。

马来西亚英特尔销售和市场营销经理Prakash Mallya说 ：“能拥有魅力四射和创意非凡的才子王力宏陪伴我们向国人推介Ultrabook，引领个人电脑进入更高境界，确实令我们感到雀跃。此十足动感的合作，突显英特尔在电脑领域不断追求超群绝伦的表现，Ultrabook™ 的非凡创意便是其中一个卓越例子。

Ultrabook™ 系列首次在2011年6月推出，为个人运算体验带来另一次彻底转型。现在消费者可使用超轻超薄，造型时尚的Ultrabooks 来开发无穷创意和进行日常作业。

Mallya 说：“在英特尔，我们对Ultrabook™ 的推出感到特别兴奋。从感性和理性的角度出发，Ultrabook的设计主要是满足当今时尚消费者的生活方式和需求，同时提供一个令人满意的个人运算体验。我相信王力宏是以代言此类产品的最佳人选。”

在马来西亚，主要个人电脑厂商已推出数个Ultrabook™ 型号，它们包括宏基 (Acer)、华硕(Asus)、惠普(HP)、联想(Lenovo)和东芝(Toshiba)。

配合王力宏作为代言人的一整年合作关系，马来西亚英特尔推出独家 Ultrabook™ 促销活动，从即日起至 2012年2月29日的期限内，凡购买基于第二代Intel核心处理器 Ultrabook™ 的首200名顾客，将获得王力宏的火力全开精装双CD 专辑。只需扫描或拍摄收据的照片，然后上传到马来西亚英特尔题为“Lee Hom CDs Up for Grabs!”面子书的应用程序，并在表格里填写你的联络资料，即可参加促销活动**。

欲知此促销活动的详情，请浏览www.intel.com/my/ultrabook 。

Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments in Fourth Quarter of 2011 Declined 1.4 Percent; Year-End Shipments Increased 0.5 Percent

Healthy Professional PC and Emerging Market Growth Couldn’t Compensate for Weak Holiday Consumer PC Demand

KUALA LUMPUR, January 12, 2012 — After two quarters of positive growth, worldwide PC shipments totaled 92.2 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 1.4 percent decline from the fourth quarter of 2010, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. These figures were in line with Gartner’s earlier forecast of a 1 percent decline for the fourth quarter of 2011.

“Continuously low consumer PC demand resulted in weak holiday PC shipments,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “While economic uncertainty in Western Europe had an effect on consumer PC shipments, expectations of a healthier economic outlook in North America could not stimulate consumer PC demand in that region. The healthy professional PC market as well as growth in emerging markets could not compensate for the weaknesses in mature markets, with overall growth still negative.”


Hard-disk drive (HDD) shortages triggered by the October 2011 floods in Thailand had a limited impact on fourth-quarter PC shipments and prices. However, Gartner analysts said a major impact will be felt, and this is expected to materialize in the first half of 2012, and potentially continue throughout 2012. These shortages will temporarily lower PC shipment growth during 2012.

“Ultrabooks were quietly introduced into the market during the 4Q11 holiday season,” Ms. Kitagawa said. “Ultrabooks didn’t seem to draw consumers’ attention. Consumers had very little understanding and awareness of ultrabooks, and only a small group of consumers was willing to pay the price premium for such models. However, as has been seen this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) show, 2012 is a big debut stage for ultrabooks.”

HP retained its No. 1 position in the fourth quarter of 2011, despite a shipment decline of 16.2 percent year over year (see Table 1). While the company’s new CEO, Meg Whitman, cleared up some confusion surrounding its PC business, its 4Q11 results were affected by the noise around this issue. HP also had to battle against aggressive pricing from competitors and deal with weak consumer PC demand in the holiday season.

Table 1
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q11 (Units)

Company	4Q11 Shipments	4Q11 Market Share (%)	4Q10 Shipments	4Q10 Market Share (%)	4Q11-4Q10 Growth (%)
HP	14,712,266	16.0	17,554,181	18.8	-16.2
Lenovo	12,931,136	14.0	10,516,772	11.3	23.0
Dell	11,633,880	12.6	10,796,317	11.6	7.8
Acer Group	9,823,214	10.7	12,043,606	12.9	-18.4
Asus	6,243,118	6.8	5,180,913	5.5	20.5
Others	36,827,666	40.0	37,358,786	40.0	-1.4
Total	92,171,280	100.0	93,450,575	100.0	-1.4

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but not media tablets such as the iPad.

Source: Gartner (January 2012)

Lenovo experienced the strongest growth among the top five vendors, as its PC shipments grew 23 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, and it further cemented its place as the No. 2 vendor in global PC shipments. The company’s growth was attributed to its aggressive pricing in both the professional and consumer markets.

Dell had a good quarter with shipment growth in most regions. While the consumer market remained a weak point, Dell enjoyed stable growth in the professional sector, driven by upgrades to Windows 7. Asia/Pacific continued to be the major growth market for Dell, as it achieved 30 percent growth in the region. Asus stayed in the No. 5 position despite generally weak consumer sales. Asus’s shift from mini-notebooks to regular notebooks was successful, as close to 80 percent of Asus mobile PCs shipments were regular notebooks in the fourth quarter of 2011.

In the U.S., PC shipments totaled 17.9 million units, a 5.9 percent decline compared with the same quarter last year (see Table 2). U.S. holiday sales were not all that exciting for PC vendors. As expected, consumers’ attention was diverted toward other product categories, especially smartphones and media tablets. All-in-one (AIO) desktop PCs drew consumers’ attention during the holiday season. The main attractions were large screen sizes and high-definition viewing capability.

HP maintained the No. 1 position in the U.S. PC market in the fourth quarter of 2011, but Dell gained ground as HP lost substantial market share in the quarter. Apple enjoyed the strongest growth among the top five vendors. Lenovo’s U.S. PC shipments grew 40 percent year-over-year, but its shipment volume was not enough to squeeze into the top five ranking (it was in the sixth position).

Table 2
Preliminary United States PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q11 (Units)

Company	4Q11 Shipments	4Q11 Market Share (%)	4Q10 Shipments	4Q10 Market Share (%)	4Q11-4Q10 Growth (%)
HP	4,137,833	23.1	5,598,619	29.4	-26.1
Dell	4,020,549	22.4	4,210,000	22.1	-4.5
Apple	2,074,800	11.6	1,718,400	9.0	20.7
Toshiba	1,925,100	10.7	1,968,091	10.3	-2.2
Acer Group	1,756,838	9.8	1,982,477	10.4	-11.4
Others	4,014,644	22.4	3,583,418	18.8	12.0
Total	17,929,764	100.0	19,061,005	100.0	-5.9

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but not media tablets such as the iPad.

Source: Gartner (January 2012)

PC shipments in EMEA totaled 28.9 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 9.6 percent decline from the same period in 2010. The EMEA PC market experienced its fourth consecutive quarter of decline, resulting in year-end 2011 shipments decreasing 7.2 percent from 2010. Western Europe saw weak consumer growth, as an uneasy economic environment squeezed consumer spending on PCs.

In Asia/Pacific, PC shipments reached 30.4 million units, an 8.5 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010. The market performance was below Gartner’s anticipated growth of 10.6 percent. The preliminary findings show weaker shipment growth in China, India and Thailand.

The PC market in Latin America grew 11.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, as shipments reached 9.3 million units. Because whitebox PC vendors make up a large portion of Latin America’s PC market, last quarter Gartner expected Thailand’s HDD shortage to moderately affect growth in Latin America in the near term. Thus far, anecdotal evidence indicates that many local vendors had quickly ordered sufficient inventory to exit the fourth quarter unaffected.

PC shipments in Japan declined 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, as shipments totaled 3.9 million units. This was better than Gartner’s earlier projection of an 8 percent decline. The professional market showed a high double-digit decline, while the consumer market saw mid-single-digit growth.

For the year, worldwide PC shipments totaled 352.8 million units in 2011, a 0.5 percent increase from 2010 (see Table 3). A weak consumer PC market, particularly in mature markets, was a major contributor to this stagnation, despite good growth in the professional market. Emerging markets grew steadily, driven by low initial PC penetration.

Among the top five PC vendors, Lenovo took over the No. 2 spot from Dell. Lenovo continued to gain market share via aggressive pricing and acquisitions, namely of NEC and Medion. Asus climbed from sixth to fifth, replacing Toshiba.

Table 3
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2011 (Units)

Company	2011 Shipments	2011 Market Share (%)	2010 Shipments	2010 Market Share (%)	2011-2010 Growth (%)
HP	60,554,726	17.2	62,741,274	17.9	-3.5
Lenovo	45,703,863	13.0	38,180,444	10.9	19.7
Dell	42,864,759	12.1	42,119,272	12.0	1.8
Acer Group	39,415,381	11.2	48,758,542	13.9	-19.2
ASUS	20,768,465	5.9	18,902,723	5.4	9.9
Others	143,499,792	40.7	140,198,078	40.0	2.4
Total	352,806,984	100.0	350,900,332	100.0	0.5

Note: Data includes desk-based PCs, mobile PCs, including mini-notebooks but not media tablets such as the iPad.

Source: Gartner (January 2012)

These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner's PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe. Additional research can be found on Gartner's Computing Hardware section on Gartner's web site at http://www.gartner.com/it/products/research/asset_129157_2395.jsp.