Chromebooks to record highest percentage growth in 2020 shipments

• Global laptop shipments for 2020 to be the best since 2012, to witness 14.4% year-on-year growth.
• Work from home and distance education demand continues to propel the market.
• Tight supply of upstream laptop components has become somewhat alleviated compared to previous expectations.

Dubai: Chromebooks are expected to exhibit the highest percentage of year-on-year shipment growth for 2020 among the laptop category as work from home and e-learning initiatives propel demand.

The Chromebook shipments are expected to increase 42.4 per cent year on year to 24.3 million units, according to research firm TrendForce.

At the same time, laptop shipments for the whole year are expected to be the best since the market hit the rock bottom in 2012.

The shipments for the full year are expected to increase 14.4 per cent year on year to 187.63 million units, according to research firm TrendForce.

In the third quarter, total laptop shipments are expected to reach 55 million units for the third quarter, a four per cent quarter-on-quarter increase from 53 million units.

Furthermore, the tight supply of upstream laptop components has become somewhat alleviated compared to previous expectations.

Brands market share

As the pandemic-induced stay-at-home economy continues to galvanise demand in the second half, various manufacturers, therefore, retain a positive outlook towards their shipment performances in the third quarter.

Among the vendors, HP remains the shipment leader as demand surges for education and consumer laptops and the company’s shipments are expected to rise 0.8 per cent quarter on quarter to 14.6 million.

Lenovo, at number two, is expected to reach 11 million units, a 28.5 per cent growth quarter on quarter, but it remains to be seen whether Lenovo’s ODM partners possess enough production capacity to fulfill the massive orders from Lenovo going forward.

Dell, at number three, expected to reach 8.2 million units, represents a 14 per cent decrease quarter on quarter because Dell’s strong performance in the second quarter resulted in a high base period for quarter-on-quarter comparison.

Even though brands remain optimistic with regards to the market demand in fourth quarter, the research firm expects fourth-quarter demand may fall short of the two previous quarters.

TrendForce expects a 15.8 per cent year-on-year growth in shipment in the fourth quarter.