The sales predictions by market research firm IHS iSuppli have been drastically reduced by more than half, due to poor sales earlier in the year. While initial expectations were for at least 22 million to be sold by the end of the year, now it only suggests 10 million will leave the shelves.

The Intel inspired Ultrabook brand was designed to reinvigorate the laptop market, which has been somewhat overshadowed in the past couple of years by the growth of tablets and smartphones devices. The thinking was, create something incredibly light and portable, with much more power for tasks like video editing and gaming – as well as ensuing a professional feel – and it would bring back the customers. While 10 million is hardly a poor number, the fact that it's half what was initially expected suggests the uptake slower than Intel and others hoped.

2012 isn't the only period IHS is suggesting will see less Ultrabook sales though, 2013 is on the cards too. While initially expected to see 61 million Ultrabooks in homes and offices around the world by the end of 2013, now it's thought there will be more like 44 million.

According to one of the firm's researchers, Craig Stice, (via The Telegraph), it's all down to the fact that the hype isn't there. Tablets and smartphones were still capturing people's imaginations about what a contemporary computer is. Ultimately he said that because of this and, “When combined with other factors, including prohibitively high pricing, this means that ultrabook sales will not meet expectations in 2012.”

KitGuru Says: You guys are technically savvy and don't necessarily need the hype Mr Stice is talking about to buy a product you know is good: do Ultrabooks interest you? Maybe you're reading this on one. Let us know what you think below or on our Facebook page.

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