We have been trying to parse the news that IBM might spin off its PC division.
With that in mind I was intrigued to see this form factor from Lenovo.
Interesting to Lenovo launch the Tianjiao, a broadband multimedia PC with no mention of the components used, instead listing the broadband services it taps into. This is a very different model from the Western PC market. No “Windows Media Player” sticker in sight…
I have long argued that IBM should build a consumer strategy by proxy strategy, as an arms supplier to Asian consumer electronics firms like Samsung that don’t necessarily want to get into bed with more direct competitors such as Dell, HP, Intel and Microsoft.
This move could herald the potential emergence of a new type of cross geographical keiretsi. In Korea the government is now going after chaebol too so i expect the major structural changes in Asian, European and US economies to continue.
If IBM takes a stake in Lenovo though – that might damage relationships with other Interactive Electronics firms such as Nintendo and Sony. On the other hand, partnership looks like the only sustainable model to tackle the Chinese market, and Lenovo (nee Legend) is in pole position there.
Enough speculation though–i should probably wait til the shoe drops
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