Netbooks Impact Windows Support and Revenue

Low-cost laptops originally designed for sale in countries with emerging economies are becoming more popular in developed economies with consumers and businesspeople who use their own computers for work. The increased sales of these small inexpensive laptops, sometimes called netbooks, will impact how Microsoft and its partners develop and support Windows, as well as Windows client revenues. Although Microsoft demonstrated Windows 7 running on a netbook at its Professional Developer’s Conference (PDC) in Oct. 2008, it may be some time until the least expensive of these computers have the necessary hardware to support Vista’s features, such as Windows Aero graphics.

Netbook Computers

A netbook is a small form-factor, lightweight laptop computer retailing between US$300 and US$600. Like ultralight laptops, netbooks have a small form factor and long battery life, but ultralight laptops are often more powerful, include more high-end hardware components, and use more durable materials, and therefore command a premium price. There are desktop PCs (called nettops) with similar price and configuration attributes, but they do not appear as popular because they lack the portability of a netbook.