“A year ago when these smaller PCs first came onto the scene, many in the space were saying consumers wouldn’t want or need these devices to be full-featured,” he said. “In fact, the exact opposite turned out to be true. Consumers really do want small notebook PCs to work like their laptops and desktops. Windows provides a familiar and easy-to-use experience that consumers want and demand from these devices.”

Asked why consumers are choosing smaller PCs with Windows, Guggenheimer said: “Because Windows makes life simple. It’s easier to use, just works out of the box with people’s stuff, and ultimately offers more choice. Over the last 34 years, we’ve learnt a lot about what people want from their PCs, and we’ve worked with OEMs to provide an experience that meets those needs.”

Guggenheimer said the economy may also be facilitating growth in the small notebook PC space. Buyers are becoming increasingly cost-conscious and mobile, and laptop sales are soon expected to outstrip desktop PC sales in developed economies.

“Fortunately, the breadth of the Windows platform gives device manufacturers a host of options when it comes to designing new devices to suit new forms of consumer demand,” he said.

Already, several OEMs have announced plans to issue new small notebook PCs designed for the Windows 7 operating system.