Asustek Transformer Tops Non-Apple Tablets in Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 24, 2011 (CENS)--Asustek Computer Inc.'s Transformer has become the most popular non-Apple tablet computer in Taiwan with a 40% market share, according to the company.

The company's executives projected sales of tablet computers in Taiwan at 500,000 systems by the end of this year, with Apple iPads constituting 53% and Android-based gadgets comprising the remaining 47%. Asustek, they claimed, has so far sold around 10,000 Transformers a month in Taiwan, leaving Acer Inc., HTC Corp., Samsung, Motorola Mobility Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) behind in the competition.

Worldwide, Apple iPads are estimated to penetrate over 70% of tablet market throughout this year.

Unlike their marginal outnumbering in Taiwan, Apple iPads have commanded a dominant 60-70% of the market each in Hong Kong and Macau. Industry executives ascribe the relatively lower share grabbed by Apple iPads in Taiwan mostly to later rollouts of iPads in Taiwan than in many other markets all over the world, advantages that homegrown brands like Acer and Asustek enjoy over foreign brands, and vigorous promotions of dirt-cheap Android-based tablets by local telecom carriers to lure new subscribers.

Although industry executives feel that Asustek would be struggling to keep its projected global shipments of 20 million laptops for this year because of the hobbling European economy, the company's executives believed its laptop sales in Taiwan would rise 30 % in the second half of this year from the same period of last year, compared to the average 15-20% increases set by most of its rivals. They noted that the company enjoyed a 15% year-on-year growth in laptop sales on the island in the first half, when most of Taiwan's laptop makers reported flat sales.