MAINTAINS DOMINANCE OF RUGGED NOTEBOOK MARKET FOR 11TH YEAR RUNNING

BRACKNELL, UK 27 JUNE 2013

Panasonic became the European market leader for rugged business tablets in 2012 with a 29% unit share of the market, according to the latest results from analyst group VDC Research. The company also maintained its dominant position in the rugged notebook market with a 63% unit share for its Toughbook range.

Driven by the launch of its new Toughpad range of rugged business tablets and rapid adoption of its Toughbook CF-D1 and CF-H2 specialist tablets, Panasonic took European top spot for rugged tablets with a 400% year-on-year increase in units shipped.

The new Toughpad range consists of three Windows 8 Pro and Android tablets designed to meet the growing demand from businesses for purpose-built tablets that use the latest functionality to improve the productivity of their workforces. The Toughpad FZ-G1 with its Next Generation IPSα Display, Full HD 10.1” outdoor visible screen is Panasonic’s first fully rugged Windows 8 Pro tablet, which has been designed for mobile workers who spend much of their time working outside or from vehicles. The Toughpad FZ-A1 and JT-B1 are Panasonic’s first fully rugged 10” and 7” Android tablets ergonomically designed for use by mobile workers in industries such as utilities, public transport, logistics, asset management and police forces.

Rugged and Durable Notebook Dominance Continues
In its core rugged notebook market, Panasonic’s Toughbook range maintained its European dominance of the market sector for the 11th year in succession with 63% unit market share.

Jan Kaempfer, Marketing Director for Panasonic Computer Product Solutions, said: “This latest research proves the value our new range of Toughpad tablets brings to businesses looking to transform the productivity and service provided by their mobile workforce. We will continue to invest in developing a range of tailored, rugged business devices and tablets ready for the next generation of mobile computing and that are built exactly to the needs and specifications of our business customers across Europe.”

David Krebs, VP of Enterprise Mobility at VDC Research, added: “Panasonic has long been the benchmark in the rugged and durable notebook market and is now replicating that success in the rugged business tablet market. We predict a 16% annual unit growth in the rugged tablet market through 2017 as businesses continue to exploit the computing benefits of these devices for their mobile workforce. Panasonic is well positioned to take advantage of this growth.”