China-based Huawei will launch its new 2-in-1 device on May 26, targeting the mid-range and high-end segments, while Xiaomi is ready to release its inexpensive ultra-thin notebook in July. Seeing new players joining the market, most first-tier brand vendors have taken a cautious attitude about the upcoming competition, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Huawei's MateBook, announced at Mobile World Congress 2016 in February, will begin selling later in May in China, priced between US$699-1,599 depending on specifications. However, the upstream supply chain pointed out that Huawei's orders for the device are less than 400,000 units and the company may further reduce the volume at any time to avoid inventory pileups.
Since the MateBook is expected to face strong competition from Lenovo's products in China and be suppressed by other first-tier vendors' devices in Northeast Asia and Europe, the sources believe Huawei's main focus for the notebook market in 2016 is to test the water and its 2-in-1 device is unlikely to greatly impact its competitors.
Xiaomi's ultra-thin notebook, designed and manufactured by Inventec, will be unveiled in July and is expected to be priced between CNY2,000-3,000.
Xiaomi's first batch of notebook shipments will be less than 200,000 units due to issues over component purchasing and development, the sources said, adding that these issues also forced Xiaomi to postpone the launch to July.
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
