Digitimes today reported that Samsung will no longer launch conventional notebook models except few Chromebooks in 2015. Essentially, they are ending their R&D on new Windows laptops while they continue to sell their existing models. Samsung had a strong growth in Windows laptops segment 2 years back, but since then it has lost its game with Lenovo and decreasing consumer demand for laptops.
Samsung Electronics has set a goal of shipping seven million notebooks globally in 2014, a reduction of 41.67% from the 12 million units shipped in 2013, and will no longer launch conventional notebook models except Chromebooks in 2015, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers. Samsung aimed to ship 17 million notebooks in 2013 but actually shipped 12 million units, the sources said.
On a related note, Asus notebook shipments are expected to reach 20 million units in 2014, up from 18.5 million units in 2013.
Source: Digitimes (1), Digitimes (2)