Q209 netbook revenue growth up 264% year-on-year

Netbook growth is continuing unabated according to a new report from research specialists DisplaySearch. During the second quarter of 2009, netbook revenue grew by 264 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) and an impressive 37 percent quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q).

The netbook segment is becoming a ever-growing segment of portable PC shipments and revenues. During Q209, netbooks accounted for 22.2 percent of shipments and 11.7 percent of revenues. DisplaySearch is expecting these trends to continue into 2010 albeit at slightly lower market shares. It expects netbooks to account for 21.5 percent of portable PC shipment volume and 10.9% of total revenue.

What is interesting to note is that average selling prices (ASPs) for netbooks dropped by a mammoth 30 percent y-o-y (notebook ASPs fell only by 10 percent) to $361. However, this was made up by spectacular y-o-y unit growth, up by 360 percent. The low prices of netbooks are leading to increased take-up by telecom providers, who then offer the devices on lucrative long-term data contracts.