The Romanian market for premium tablets is expected to reach 70,000 units by the end of 2012, whereas the whole tablet market should reach 120,000 units, a three fold increase on 2011, as the local market is still underdeveloped, said Lucian Rădulescu, the new country manager for Sony Romania. The company recently launched the Sony Xperia S tablet, priced between RON 1,900 and RON 2,400.

“For this year I hope around 70,000 units will sell from the premium segment, out of an estimated total of 120,000 tablets,” said Radulescu.

The company wants to sell 3,000 Xperia S units this year in Romania, via retail stores, and starting 2013, also through telecom operators, said the head of Sony Romania. The company hopes to achieve a market share of 20 percent on the premium tablet market in Romania. It is competing with companies such as Apple, Samsung and Asus. Premium tablets are tablet PCs priced above RON 1,800.

Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com