Global notebook shipments are expected to experience a negative 3.2% CAGR in the next five years to reach 140 million units by 2022, as new consumer devices associated with such latest technologies as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and flexible displays will emerge to erode consumer patronage for notebooks, according to Digitimes Research.

With the replacement demand for business-use notebooks appearing earlier than expected, global notebook shipments are estimated to surge 4.6% on year and rebound to the level of over 150 million units in 2017, after having declined for five consecutive years.

As the replacement momentum is expected to peak in 2018, and Microsoft and other US notebook brand vendors are expected to launch low-threshold software and hardware leasing programs to attract more corporate customers, the market for business-use notebooks is seen to grow fast in the coming year. In contrast, the retail market is likely to enter a new recession cycle in 2018, when the sales momentums for gaming notebooks and Chromebooks are also not expected to stay as strong as 2017. Accordingly, the overall global notebook shipments are expected to see a lower annual growth of 2.7% to reach 160 million units in 2018, Digitimes Research estimates.

In 2018, HP and Dell will benefit the most from the accelerated growth of the business notebook sector. HP is expected to stand firmly as the No. 1 vendor in both the business market segment and overall shipments due to its significant advantages in product lines, distribution channels and supply chains. Dell's acquisition of EMC is also gradually paying off with increased sales in the business notebook market, and Dell is likely to post the highest growth in notebook shipments to the business sector in 2018.

After suffering internal and external difficulties in 2017, China-based Lenovo is expected to see its sales rebound slightly in 2018. Among Taiwan's brand vendors, Asustek has yet to work out new operation directions for 2018, and Acer has gained a solid footing in specific notebook markets. As to Apple, it is expected to stimulate sales of MacBook through a price-cutting strategy, Digitimes Research believes.