HP Vows To Regain Lead In Laptop Market

Hewlett-Packard has its sights set on the laptop-computing market's top spot, and it plans to use its newly launched mobility initiative backed with HP's most extensive mobile product introduction to date to capture that position.

"Make no mistake about it, our goal is to reclaim the No. 1 position worldwide for notebook computers," Ted Clark, senior VP and general manager of the mobile-computing global business unit for HP, told attendees at the company's Mobility Summit in San Jose, Calif., this week.

According to research firm Gartner, Dell led in mobile-computer sales with about 2.1 million units, or 18% share in the third quarter of 2004. HP was second with sales of 1.9 million units, or 16% share. The pending sale of IBM's PC business to Lenovo Group Ltd. has made the laptop-computer market a two-horse race between HP and Dell, Clark says.

"We've been back and forth over the last two years [with Dell], and we want to get [market leadership] back," he says. "It will come down to how well we execute and deliver."

HP has been in discussions with a number of IBM customers who are concerned about the Lenovo acquisition, which is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter, Clark says. "We believe we have a better opportunity than anyone else to regain those [IBM] customers," he says.

The breadth of the HP mobile-computer offerings introduced at the Mobile Summit demonstrates the company's design capabilities, which, when combined with its services offering, provides a compelling value proposition for mobile customers, Clark says. "We can put together a mobile solution that doesn't require a lot of compromise on the part of the customer."

New notebook introductions include the nx9600, designed for companies that want to replace desktops and have the highest performance requirements. The 8200 series will include a 15.4-inch-wide screen and will be available in both thin and wide form factors. The 6200 series is aimed at business customers requiring thin and light equipment. The 6100 series is HP's more affordable line, starting at $799. The nc4200 is an ultraportable system, and the tc4200 is a full-function tablet PC. The new offerings are scheduled for availability in March.