The Middle East is switching to mobile computers at a faster rate than Europe, a trend fuelling Toshiba’s regional growth that is running at six times the industry average, according to a company press release. As a result, Toshiba’s market share in the Middle East has risen to 25 percent in just two years, compared to 14.4 percent in Europe.
These statistics were disclosed by Willem Poterman, general manager of Toshiba’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Computer Marketing Division, while visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week.
He told a media briefing, organized by exclusive UAE distributors Al-Futtaim, that worldwide growth in desktop computers had peaked, with sales in mature markets dropping last year for the first time. But demand for mobiles continues to soar as systems become smaller, lighter and even more powerful.
Ahmed Khalil, Middle East sales manager of Toshiba’s Dubai-based computer systems division, says the regional market is to a large extent bypassing the desktop transition and going straight for mobility. “The market here is not so mature as Europe, where mobility developed in terms of capacity and response to customer needs,” he explains.
“In Europe, mobile computers are replacing or supplementing desktops. Here in the Middle East, many customers are only now becoming computerized so they are able to skip the desktop stage completely, going direct to mobiles because of their power and versatility.” — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
