Insider Spotlight
On its 10th anniversary, Acer Philippines enters this next phase with a strong local position. Nielsen-GfK data showed it held a record 37.9 percent share of the Philippine retail mobile computing market from January to July 2026, reaching an all-time high of 41 percent in July.
The AI opportunity as pockets of growth
“As we all know, AI is now mainstream. You can see this in our products, including AI-enabled devices. We do not simply want to ride on this trend. We want to educate the market about the new features and advantages of AI,” Acer Philippines managing director Sue Ong-Lim said during the media briefing.
Acer also expects a PC refresh cycle to support growth this year and into 2027. Devices purchased during the pandemic-driven PC boom in 2021, when remote work and online learning pushed PC sales to their highest level, are now increasingly due for replacement.
Making PCs accessible
Affordability is another pillar of Acer’s growth strategy, particularly as pressure on Filipinos’ purchasing power affects technology spending.
“Affordability does not mean cheap. We cater to the right market based on customers’ needs and how they can use the products,” Lim added.
Acer has partnered exclusively with Home Credit to offer zero-percent interest financing even on discounted products, aiming to lower barriers to PC ownership and expand adoption.
Beyond traditional PCs
Acer president of Pan Asia Pacific Andrew Hou pointed out that Acer is simultaneously building businesses that could underpin its growth over the next 50 years. New businesses already account for more than 30 percent of Acer’s revenue in Asia.
One emerging category, he said, is industrial PCs and point-of-sale systems (POS). Acer has expanded in the segment through its acquisition of Posiflex and several other IPC and POS companies.
Industrial PCs are engineered for reliability and continuous operation in demanding environments, while POS systems are closely related to the category.
Acer is also targeting smart healthcare through Acer Medical and its AI-powered diagnostic algorithms, alongside energy investments including solar and wind projects in Taiwan.
Other growth engines
Home appliances are another pillar. Acerpure has expanded from small appliances such as cookware, air purifiers and circulation fans into larger products including air-conditioners, with refrigerators and washing machines identified as potential next steps.
Altos and AI servers offer another growth avenue, while the enterprise market presents opportunities through Altos and newer commercial products. PCs, however, will remain a major growth engine as Acer sees further room to expand across Asia-Pacific.
“We spun off our services to ensure better accountability throughout the sales cycle. This creates checks and balances while helping improve our services. This reflects Acer’s diversification efforts while maintaining its focus on the core and roots of the organization,” Lim said.
For Acer, the strategy is to diversify into new businesses without losing sight of its roots: strengthening PCs while creating additional growth engines spanning enterprise technology, industrial computing, healthcare, energy and home appliances. —Vanessa Hidalgo| Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
