Samsung astonished thousands as it discontinued its laptop sales in Europe due to poor market conditions as well as intense competition. Though shocking at first, this may be foreshadowing to a huge industry advancement. The laptop market is beginning to dip downwards as tablets begin to take over. However, it’s no surprise considering the many advantages of tablet usage including the lower price, portability and nearly parallel functionality.
This is a prime example of technology’s rapid rate of growth. The Apple iPad was only released into the market four years ago, where it was met with criticism for simply being a glorified iPod. Fast forwarding to today, tablets have become a large part of many people’s daily lives and have become known as a cheaper alternative to laptops. I think that Samsung is making a very calculated move by eliminating its laptop sales in Europe as it will definitely cut back on costs for the company. Though they claim to have no intentions of ceasing distribution in other countries, I believe that it’s in the foreseeable future. Samsung is definitely on the right path applying the market trends to their company effectively. Their adaptability is likely to prove advantageous in the future as trends continue to fluctuate and as technology progresses in development.
Sources:
Forbes: Samsung’s Decision to Stop Selling Laptops in Europe Suggests Tablets are the Future (2014)
Apple: iPad Launch date
https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/01/27Apple-Launches-iPad.html