Dell strengthens hold as mainland's No 2 computer brand

Dell strengthened its position as the second-biggest personal computer supplier on the mainland in the quarter to September, despite slumping sales worldwide.

"[Mainland] China is clearly the highlight for us, with the sequential growth [in the past quarter]," Amit Midha, the president of Dell's Asia-Pacific and Japan operations, said yesterday.

Data from technology research firm IDC shows Dell's market share on the mainland, which is the world's largest market for personal computers, rose to 9 per cent from 8 per cent in the quarter to June.

Dell managed to rebound on the mainland after a few quiet quarters there, according to Bryan Ma, IDC's associate vice-president for Asia-Pacific client devices research.

Ma said only Lenovo, with a 34 per cent domestic share, performed better than Dell in the market in the past quarter.

Kitty Fok, a vice-president of IDC Asia-Pacific, said the release of new products, purchases made by students who went back to school in August and September, and improved inventory in distribution channels helped boost sales on the mainland.