Netbooks Are Doomed, Will Become Extinct By 2015

A recent report suggests that Netbooks are doomed to die.

Although the smaller computers were all the rage just a few years ago, the popularity of iPads, smartphones, and tablets have essentially pushed the devices to the background. The demand has dropped to the point that some believe the machines will no longer ship in 2015.

A report released by IHS iSuppli suggests that demand for the computers will decrease nearly 72 percent during 2013. Although suppliers will ship around 3 million units over the course of the year, it’s believed that only 264,000 computers will be shipped in 2014. In other words, it would seem that Netbooks are doomed.

IHS analyst Craig Stice said in his report:

“Netbooks shot to popularity immediately after launch because they were optimized for low cost, delivering what many consumers believed as acceptable computer performance. However, netbooks began their descent to oblivion with the introduction in 2010 of Apple’s iPad.”

Since the Netbook couldn’t compete with the portability and the functionality of Apple’s iPad and its competitors, it looks as though the computer’s days are limited. In fact, the recent IHS report stated that many manufacturers have already started pulling the plug on the machine.

The report continued:

“From the supply end of production, the major original equipment manufacturers of notebooks will have already terminated netbook production at this point. Whatever production is left is expected to be limited, or manufacturers will simply be shipping last-time builds to satisfy contractual obligations to customers.”

When the Netbooks first debuted, retailers couldn’t keep the items on shelves. It’s reported that around 32.4 million machines were sold in 2010 alone. However, those numbers have tapered off considerably in recent years.

Fans of the Netbooks will have other similar devices to choose from once the doomed machines have left the market. Several different Ultrabooks and notebook PCs are currently available through various retailers for a relatively low price.

Do you agree that Netbooks are doomed to extinction?

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