The Hindu Business Line : New categories emerge in personal computers, says HP

The personal computer market is undergoing a transformation with the definition of the youth category getting broadened and new sub-verticals cropping up, requiring specialised products to suit them.

Backed by the projected increase in broadband connections, the domestic PC market is poised for a 25-30 per cent growth this year with broader youth and education segments driving this momentum, according to Mr Rajiev Grover, Director of Consumer Products, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett Packard India.

In a recent interaction with Business Line, Mr Grover said that this is being driven by the youth, whose definition has a very broad connotation now — the segment ranges from a 15-year-old up to even a 45-year-old businessman. And, each of these segments have different and yet very specialised requirements.

“For instance, youngsters, for edutainment and gaming requirements, want a 17-inch laptop. On the other side of the spectrum, we have people on the move (road warriors) who want laptops which are light and power efficient and for them there are the smaller screen ones,” he said.

Most youngsters want a laptop with a 17-inch screen and a camera for complete entertainment. This is ideally suited to watch movies and to download pictures, songs and data exchange. This also has an element of style quotient.

These categories are now being addressed by the HP and Compaq line of products, which includes the touch smart PC range, which is now a lifestyle product rather than merely being a PC. Even when it comes to desktops, the CRT range has paved way for TFT and the trend is towards monitors that are bigger — from 15 to 17 inch.

Children from some schools are largely using laptops and this is encouraged by their professional educational institutions, which are Wi-fi enabled. With the prices of laptops also falling over the years, they no longer want to buy desktops.

This is a trend similar to other countries. The desktop versus laptop ratio is now at 2.5: 1. But over the next two–three years, sale of laptops may potentially keep pace with desktops.