Acer sets sights on UAE and GCC region
Acer has set its sights on developing its operations in the UAE and GCC region, with a strong focus on the gaming and thin and light notebooks segments, Emmanuel Fromont, Acer president for the EMEA region, told Khaleej Times.
According to the statistics reported by GFK, the company currently enjoys a market share of 21.5 per cent in the gaming segment in the UAE. However, Fromont revealed that the company is also looking to expand and strengthen its presence in other segments. "We are also invested in the growth in the education sector and currently offer solutions with Microsoft OS products or with Chrome OS products. We have already delivered more than 50,000 Chromebooks to schools in the UAE in the past nine months," he said.
Speaking on the latest trends in the market right now, Fromont revealed that, globally, the PC market has fared well. "The latest trends indicate that the commercial segment is on the rise, while the consumer market is a bit more challenging. The commercial sector is driven by Windows 7 EOL, and a move from desktops to notebooks. For the consumer sector, there has been an uptake in the gaming, ultra- thin and Chromebook segments, which Acer has a strong presence in. Regarding innovation, we continue to see a push towards thinner, lighter PCs, longer battery life, and faster WiFi." Despite the fact that the PC market is slightly decelerating, he stressed that PCs still serve their purpose in regards to content creation and data management.
"One thing to take into account is the lifecycle of the products and their buying rates," Formont pointed out. "PCs still have a lifecycle of 5-6 years, while mobile devices are replaced more frequently. It is safe to say that the two will definitely coexist for many years to come. You need both a mobile and a PC, as they each serve a separate purpose. Data creation and manipulation are still carried out on notebooks or desktops, while your day-to-day activities can be carried out on the go with a mobile device." Asked how the Acer Corporation had performed in 208 and 2019, he said: "Acer Corporation worldwide delivered a 3.35 per cent growth in 2018, while year to Septemberend is showing a three per cent decline due to a slower economy in general.