Samsung follows Sony and withdraws from laptop market

Production of Ativ Windows and Chromebook laptops to be halted by the tech giant

Samsung is exiting the laptop market and stopping sales of its Ativ Windows and Chromebook devices in Europe, following in the footsteps of Sony earlier this year.

In a statement sent to V3, Samsung declared that difficulties in the European market have prompted its move to withdraw from the laptop market.

"We quickly adapt to market needs and demands. In Europe, we will be discontinuing sales of laptops including Chromebooks for now. This is specific to the region, and is not necessarily reflective of conditions in other markets.

"We will continue to thoroughly evaluate market conditions and will make further adjustments to maintain our competitiveness in emerging PC categories," said a spokesperson from the company.

While Samsung was keen to present its tablets, smartphones and other devices to the technology industry at IFA 2014, it did not reveal any new additions to its laptop range.

In contrast, Acer added new models to its laptop range, and Toshiba revealed its Chromebook 2 along with other laptops at the IFA show earlier in September.

However, Samsung's move echoes that of Sony, which abandoned its Vaio laptops back in February after losing 22 percent of its market share in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the last three months of 2013.

The decision to withdraw from the laptop market cost 5,000 Sony employees their jobs. Samsung has yet to reveal the impact its retreat will have on the company's employees and structure.

The challenging nature of the PC and laptop market at the moment appears to be hitting many major technology companies.

Toshiba recently revealed that it would be restructuring its desktop computer division in order to secure profitability, though it would lose 900 staff in the process.

Dell would appear to be bucking the trend. Founder Michael Dell revealed in a recent keynote speech, attended by V3, that that company is seeing success with its desktop computers and is committed to the PC market.