Increased competition should boost Ultrabook sales, analysts say

The recent news that Intel® expects dozens of new Ultrabook™ models will debut this year has some industry analysts predicting big things for the market as a result, the IDG News Service reports.

Speaking with the news provider, IDC senior research analyst Antonio Wang notes that Ultrabook sales should spike in 2012 thanks to the combination of more available options and lower price points. The upcoming release of the Windows® 8 operating system will also help, according to Wang.

"Now you will see Ultrabooks with 11-inch screens to 15-inch screens, some on the low-end and some on the high-end for price," he says, according to IDG.

Canalys analyst Pin-Chen Tang tells the news service that Ultrabooks will also benefit from a greater focus on the part of the devices' top backer, Intel. The release of its next-generation Ivy Bridge chipset is imminent.

In a separate interview with IDG, Intel general manager Kirk Skaugen reveals that the company expects 75 new Ultrabooks will be released this year, a far cry from the 10 that hit the market in 2011. Some of the new devices are expected to carry price tags as low as $699.