Sharp Reportedly Exits Notebook Business To Focus On Tablets, Smaller Machines
Now, the notebook world has one less name in the hat, and one less
competitor in the field. Sharp has just revealed that the company is
planning to scale back their mobile operations, and that means no more
notebooks from Sharp. That's a pretty big move for a company with a name
like Sharp. Sharp has a huge reputation in the consumer electronics
industry, and to just stop producing notebooks altogether is rather
impressive.
It's a decision that probably wasn't taken lightly, but the competition in the notebook space has definitely heated up in recent years. Moreover, tablets/UMPCs have grown in popularity, and that's where Sharp intends to focus their efforts now. They're shifting focus from full size notebooks to smaller machines, like tablet PCs and mobile terminals. Sharp is also in the process of shifting their business from one that just sells hardware to one that also offers companion content services. Miyuki Nakayama, a Sharp spokeswoman, said it best: "Our intention is to shift from just selling the product to expand to the business model of contents services business in addition to e-book product sales."
Sharp will kick off their new mobile face with the introduction of the Galapagos tablet this December, as that will be their first tablet introductions with Android. They'll come in 5.5" and 10" sizes, and will double as e-reader devices. Reportedly, Sharp is talking with Verizon on a U.S. launch of those two, but nothing has been nailed down yet.
It's a decision that probably wasn't taken lightly, but the competition in the notebook space has definitely heated up in recent years. Moreover, tablets/UMPCs have grown in popularity, and that's where Sharp intends to focus their efforts now. They're shifting focus from full size notebooks to smaller machines, like tablet PCs and mobile terminals. Sharp is also in the process of shifting their business from one that just sells hardware to one that also offers companion content services. Miyuki Nakayama, a Sharp spokeswoman, said it best: "Our intention is to shift from just selling the product to expand to the business model of contents services business in addition to e-book product sales."
Sharp will kick off their new mobile face with the introduction of the Galapagos tablet this December, as that will be their first tablet introductions with Android. They'll come in 5.5" and 10" sizes, and will double as e-reader devices. Reportedly, Sharp is talking with Verizon on a U.S. launch of those two, but nothing has been nailed down yet.
