All laptop makers except Apple saw sales decline in July

Due to a strong nosedive in global consumer notebook demand, all the first-tier notebook vendors except Apple, reduced their notebook orders significantly in July with Hewlett-Packard's (HP's) volume dropping back to the levels of April and May, a monthly low for HP in 2010, while Acer also saw its shipments drop to less than two million units, the company's lowest monthly volume in 2010, according Digitimes Research senior analyst Joanne Chien.

Despite that most notebook vendors believe their shipments will start picking up in late third quarter, Chien estimates that the leading brand HP will only have a volume of 39.5 million units for 2010 and will have difficulties to surpass the gate of 40 million units as well as achieve its goal of 45-47 million units.