Acer has created a new mobile devices business group for China, with the aim of tapping the country’s growing smartphone and tablet market.
In April, Acer reorganized its product operations, establishing the company’s Touch Business Group to focus on developing mobile devices. This month, Acer decided to create a new Touch Business Group specifically for China, to target the country’s large IT market and meet the specific applications needs of Chinese customers.
It has appointed Dave Chan, a former HP executive, to lead the new Touch Business Group in China.
In China, Acer is the third largest PC maker, with a 9.2 percent market share, according to research firm Gartner. But the company has yet to create a sizeable presence in China’s tablet and smartphone market.
Smartphone sales in the country reached 60 million units last year, according to Beijing-based research firm Analysys International. But Acer’s share of those sales is so small, the research firm choose not to calculate it, said Analysys spokesman Benjamin Wen.
Nokia led the Chinese market in smartphone sales last year with a 22 percent share. Acer’s PC rival Lenovo had a 4.2 percent share.
The Chinese are increasingly using smartphones to browse the Web. Chinese smartphones sales are projected to reach 95 million by the end of this year, according to Analysys. The Chinese government already reports the country has 900 million mobile phone users.
In the tablet space, Apple’s iPad devices dominates with a 78 percent share. Samsung and other tablet producers make up the remaining 22 percent share.
Earlier this year, Acer released its Iconia Tab A500, which has also made its way to the Chinese market.