Small tablet computers suddenly rise

Tablets have been designed to be light, thin and portable, and smaller sizes allow tablets to be easily carried or put into pockets of clothes. Because of this, the performance of the seven-inch tablet in the market is now in full swing. Whether it is the iPad mini's hot, Android tablet market in the sudden emergence of the seven-inch tablet, or Microsoft's small-size flat-panel to catch up, the prospect of a small-size tablet can be described as a bright future.

Small-sized tablet computers have become the latest battlefield for PC makers. Nowadays, tablet PC operating systems have formed a three-way situation. Windows 8, iOS, and Android will all contribute to the small-size tablet PC market. Microsoft has begun offering half-price offers for Windows 8 operating systems on 11.6-inch touch PCs; Google’s second-generation Nexus 7 tablet computers, which were launched in July, are positioned at midrange models, and the 16G version is priced at US$229. Amazon and Apple’s similar products are selected as Competitors.

According to the British "Financial Times", a number of recent PC makers have entered the market for small, inexpensive tablets. However, PC makers have not had much choice in the PC environment.

With the decline in PC sales, computer makers have launched small, inexpensive tablet computers similar to the iPad mini to drive sales growth. In addition to lowering profit margins and opening up the mass market with cheap tablets, PC makers have no better way to attract consumers. If other manufacturers are launching low-priced and small-sized flat products, they will not lose their brand value. This is something that no one manufacturer would like to happen.

PC makers such as ASUS, Acer, HP, and Lenovo have all released or launched Android tablets worth less than US$200 in recent weeks, including ASUS’ $129 MeMO Pad HD and HP's $170 Slate 7.

Asustek Marketing Director Yang Fengze said that the company hopes to bring tablet computers to every consumer. He said: "We hope to change their expectations of value." But he declined to disclose the profitability of the new tablet.

Acer said that the company will focus on low-end, "valuable" tablet PCs, which will enable Acer's tablet PC sales this year to triple year-on-year. Last year, Acer sold 1.8 million tablets.

Cheap, small-size tablets have replaced competition among mainstream PCs, and PC makers are launching new types of products to make up for the downturn in the PC business. In addition to small-sized tablet PCs, PC makers are also trying to transform between notebooks and tablet computers.

Currently, the leaders in the small-size tablet market include Apple, Samsung and Amazon. According to Canalys estimates, the average selling price of tablets since the beginning of last year has fallen by 12% to $461 with the introduction of such products by a number of PC manufacturers.

Citi analyst Kevin Chang estimates that if the shipment volume is high enough, ASUS MeMO Pad HD can bring 1% to 2% operating margin, much lower than the company’s operating profit margins in the previous quarter. 5.3%.