VIA, Microsoft and several technology companies established Global Mobility Bazaa (GMB) for massive business opportunities of China white-box NB market last year. Inspiring from MediaTek’s successful experience in white-box mobile phone market, VIA is eyeing at the development of netbook which might be the next hot white-box product and aims to be the exclusive solution provider of white-box netbook in China.

VIA indicated that the white-box NB adapted with VIA GMB will be debut in May. When ASUS’ EeePC is priced at RMB3,500, most of white-box NBs is priced from RMB2,499 to RMB2,999. The price difference between brand and white NB is not noticeable. Even some white-box NB’s pricing is RMB2,000, VIA is expecting to lower the price of white-box NB under RMB2,000 this year and RMB1,500 next year.

VIA estimated that the white-box NB will be accounted for 20 percent of global NB market. The sales volume of netbook will be reached 35 million units this year. In past three months, some white-box netbooks similar to ASUS EeePC have appeared in second tier electronics markets in China. Some HP, Dell, Acer alike white-box NBs are sold on internet.

Besides to lower the price, VIA introduced referential motherboard design for white-box NB makers featuring at 10-12 inch market. This will lower the entry barrier for white-box makers. VIA follows MediaTek to provide total solution of white-box netbook that is different from the past when VIA provided clients only CPU and chipsets.

Reflecting mobile phone chipset market, TI had been the lead for many years. However, TI underestimated MediaTek’s development of white-box mobile phone in China and let MediaTek take the mobile phone chipset market from herself. TI also announced to let go of branded mobile phone chipset market. Intel, the biggest CPU provider, does not want to step on the same track of TI and decides to enter white-box NB market of China to sustain the market from VIA.

By: DocMemory
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