How do traditional PC micro-super-poles save Intel?

The ultrabook is regarded as the "savior" by the traditional PC camp. Intel also places great hopes on the ultrabook. It hopes to occupy 40% of the consumer notebook market by the end of the year. However, half of 2012 has already passed, but statistics show that in the first half of this year, the sales volume of the ultra-pole world market was only 500,000 units. In the face of such terrible data, the name of the “savior” of the Ultrabook is anomalous.

The price is too high and the product model is small, which is why the ultrabook is not to be seen by consumers. In the face of market reality, major PC makers have lowered their expectations for ultrabooks. With less than five months left until the end of 2012, will Ultrabook be able to achieve the expected target of 40% of the consumer notebook market by the end of the year? Intel’s ambitious ultrabook project has been tested as never before.

In the second half of the year, 140 ultrabooks are intensively listed

However, Intel’s Vice President Global and President of China Yang Xuan was still full of confidence in the Ultrabook market when he was interviewed by Southern Metropolitan reporters. He said that Intel’s difficulties are currently being foreseen. Yang Sy emphasized that with the continuous expansion of economies of scale, the cost of ultrabooks continues to decrease, and product models are also becoming more abundant. “Ultrabooks may be slow at the start and have a long warm-up time. Once the price reaches the mainstream price segment and there are new product innovations, it is believed that its growth rate will increase rapidly in the short term. Our expectations are still very high. , but can not achieve the desired goal, or the market to decide."

For the bleak performance of the ultrabook in the first half of this year, Yang Sui said that he was expecting it. The market demand for the ultrabook itself is very prosperous, but the excessively high price makes many consumers choose to buy it. “When the product was first introduced to the market, the entire industrial chain was not prepared. Naturally, the economies of scale would not be reached, and the cost would be relatively high. However, as the cost of the entire industry chain continues to fall, more models of ultrabooks are added. It appears that the performance of the ultrabook market in the second half of the year is still worth looking forward to."

According to Yang Syria, until the end of this year, the ultrabook model on the market will increase to more than 140 models, and there will be corresponding products in various price segments. And Microsoft's Window s8 is about to be launched. By the end of the year, there will be more than 40 ultrabooks with touch functions, and more products will be touched next year. "The emergence of touch-enabled ultrabooks will be a leap forward for ultrabooks."

PC industry chain to reduce the cost of ultra-pole

In addition to the continuous enrichment of the ultra-pole family members, the entire PC industry chain is also working hard to reduce the cost of ultrabooks. A few days ago, the market reported that the price of Intel solid-state drives (usually selected SSDs for ultra-slim notebooks) was reduced. Although Intel’s SSDs accounted for only a small share of the market, Yang Syuk denied that price cuts for SSDs are to promote ultra-poles. this. However, market participants generally believe that the purpose of Intel's move is to hope to play the cod effect, stimulate other hard disk manufacturers to lower the price of solid-state hard drives, thereby significantly reducing the cost of ultra-pole. )

In addition, Yang Sy also said that Intel's processor prices have been adjusted. “Without the joint efforts of the entire industry and all partners, the ultrabook cannot reach the current price of 5999 yuan and 4,999 yuan. Once the product has reached the mainstream price, it means that in this product, key components have made a breakthrough. With the further increase in scale, I believe that the cost of ultrabooks will also be reduced. This is the law of the industry."

For the market's controversy over the ultra-local positioning vagueness, Yang Sui also does not agree: "The positioning of the ultrabook is very simple, the best computer plus the best touch application is the ultrabook. To the best touch experience Put together with the best traditional computer experience, only Ultrabook can do it.")

dialogue

The demand for ultrabooks is very strong.

Price is an important reason why the market is not as expected

Nandu: The Ultrabook was listed for one year and did not meet market expectations. Do you think it is market demand, economic environment, or cost factor?

Yang Syrian: The demand for the ultrabook is very strong, and the price is an important reason why the market has not reached expectations. When the product is just on the market, the positioning is relatively high. OEMs have great challenges. They are not simply aiming for thinness, but they do not sacrifice performance on a thin and light basis.

Placing the Intel Core i7 processor's products in half the thickness of the original chassis, or even 1/3 of the thickness, the manufacturing process is a challenge. After production, the finished product can not meet the standard and can not be mass produced. This is also a challenge. Once the yield is not high, or the production is limited, resulting in high costs, the pricing will be high.

From the first half of the year to April, there are only 13 ultrabooks in the entire Chinese market. By the end of the year, there will be 140 or so ultrabooks. The scale is not the same. With the introduction of Window S8, the touch will be real. The highlights. Once touch ultrabooks are launched, various industrial designs will develop at the same time, some are very advanced, and the application methods will also change greatly. There are even some dual operating systems installed, Windows 8 and Android, and you can easily switch between them. This will integrate the traditional computer and tablet in the way of use.

The ultrabook may be relatively slow at the start and have a longer warm-up time, but the market has its expectation. Once the price reaches the mainstream price segment, the product has innovation, and it is believed that its growth rate will soon increase.

Nandu: That is to say, what is your expectation that the ultra-pole will be popularized in the second half? Can we still achieve our goal of making 40% of notebook shipments?

Yang Syru: There are now more product models out there, and there are more and more ultrabooks in the mainstream price segment. This was the end of last year and was not seen until the middle of the second quarter of this year. Some manufacturers have only one model in half a year and may now increase by 3-5 or more. In addition, I believe there will be a climax after the official launch of Wind s8.

Our expectations are still very high, but whether we can achieve the desired goal or the market decides. Now all PC manufacturers are very hard, but there are indeed challenges encountered in the manufacturing process, parts will have to be re-developed, and the entire industry chain must be coordinated with each other.

South Capital: Intel has always defined the ultrabook as a new product form. With the ultrabook's more mature and more mainstream prices, will it squeeze the traditional notebook's living space, making ultrabooks and notebooks beat each other?

Yang Xu: There is this possibility, but it will not be so absolute. I think in the next two years, 70% of the market is ultrabook. Why is Ultrabook this new product form? Many people say that designing ultrabooks is due to responding to IPA D or tablet challenges. This is not the case. The IP AD and tablet help us to see a simple problem, that is, consumers often only need to buy an experience to experience the main application, rather than work or create huge information. In addition, there is a need for an app store model for the effects and methods of experience. After seeing this trend, Intel believes that since there are still a large number of people who need to work today, there are also more people who need a simple experience. If the two are combined together, they can satisfy everyone's common interests, and they can work and experience. Computers have the advantages of traditional methods of use, coupled with new touch shops, personalized applications, and they blend into one. However, it is not a step, the product is so thin, it takes time from the manufacturing process, the start of key components and so on.

Nandu: In the future, PCs will enter the consumer experience. Will Intel be involved in software, such as the app store?

Yang Xu: Certainly will. So Intel created a 300 million U.S. dollar ultrabook launch fund, which is much more than just hardware, and many of them are investments in software.

Nandu: You have always said that Shenzhen is the source of global IT innovation and is also the most dynamic place. This time to meet with suppliers in Shenzhen, what manufacturers want Intel to help them, what products do they want?

Yang Xuan: Taking the flat panel as an example, from the price segment of 399 to 999 yuan, all of them are innovative products from Shenzhen, all of them are A ndroid, 5-inch, 7-inch, and 10-inch. It used to be called M P4, but now All single-function devices have all been integrated into tablets based on Android, which are differentiated by different application software. This is a very large amount. Therefore, the innovation ability and sense of smell of these private enterprises cannot be underestimated. A few years ago as a template manufacturer, and later began to do netbooks, and then they began to do a full-featured laptop, and now do the server.

Nandu: The evaluation of the manufacturers in the outside world is generally not high, and even more disgusted. You are the first high-level company that directly praises the cottage manufacturers. How many parts and components companies are in the Ultrabook? How do you evaluate cottage innovation?

Yang Xu: I very much agree with Shenzhen's ability to innovate, cottage innovation is also innovative ability. Not that there is a brand that is innovation. I think there is no sign that millions of dollars a month are sold to the world. They can see their products in developing countries all over the world, such as Africa, South America, and India. I think China should be proud of this. Private companies can make these products and quickly find opportunities in the world market. This smell is excellent. Years ago, computers started from D IY and were also innovative. Their market is where someone buys their products and the scale has reached a million a month. This ability cannot be underestimated. Today, 80% of the ultrabooks come from Shenzhen. Today, we can do this. After 10 years of grinding, I think it may not be like this after 10 years. Therefore, I never overestimate the brand company or underestimate the little-known company.

As for the specific number of parts and components manufacturers is temporarily absent, but today's ultra pole of the industry chain, 80% of our activities in Shenzhen are part manufacturers.

Nandu: Is there a big trend in the global IT supply chain from Shenzhen to other low-cost regions?

Yang Syrian: It is already happening, and it is very large. Therefore, everyone really wants to appeal to private enterprises in Shenzhen. They do not rely on the government to rely on themselves, but they also look for opportunities in various parts of the world. It is not easy to make a small sum of money. They have no MFN status, no government bridges, and they all fly their plane tickets to the most difficult places in the world, where large manufacturers are reluctant to go.