Ultrabook growth to explode over next five years

Shipments of ultrabooks will grow at three times the rate of tablets over the next five years, according to a report from analyst firm Juniper Research.

The ultrabook concept was defined by Intel at last year’s Computex. Designed to pick up where the flagging netbook concept left off, and taking more than a little inspiration from Apple’s Macbook Air, ultrabooks are supposed to be relatively lightweight and mobile compared to other laptops, while still providing laptop-level performance, and typically offering a 13″ or larger screen.

But despite Juniper’s predictions of ultrabook growth, the company expects tablet volume to still outstrip ultrabook volume in the forecast period, with 253 million tablets to be shipped in 2016, versus the 178 million ultrabooks shipped in the same year.

The company said that there are several challenges for those creating products for the ultrabook market. Specifically, these vendors must significantly differentiate their products from those of Apple - in terms of price and features - in order to gain market traction.

Daniel Ashdown, author of the report, also said: “While Intel’s control of the brand ensures that ultrabooks stand out from traditional notebooks, vendors face a balancing act in terms of product strategy. Meeting Intel’s specification secures brand status and funding, but the step-change from notebooks means many of today's ultrabooks are too expensive for many consumers.”