Even though Sony called ultra low-cost personal computers (ULCPCs) as “a race to bottom”, the company, along with other leading Japan-based computer suppliers, now  to get interested in jumping on the low-end computers bandwagon, market rumours claim.

Fujitsu, NEC, Sony and Toshiba plan to enter the market of low-cost mobile computers in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a report from Taiwan-based Economic Daily News news-paper (which article was partly translated by DigiTimes web-site). Japan is a market that traditionally shows little interest to entry-level PCs, however, with large Japanese vendors interested in selling such systems on domestic market it becomes clear that ULCPCs are getting quite popular worldwide and PC suppliers cannot ignore this fact despite of very thin profit margins.

It is not known whether the companies plan to use microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices, Intel Corp. or Via Technologies. Other specifications of low-cost small form-factor systems from Japanese PC suppliers were also not touched upon.

According to EDN, Foxconn Electronics will manufacture the ultra low-cost PCs for Sony. It is interested to note that back in June another large contract manufacturer – Quanta – demonstrated a laptop based on Via OpenBook concept which appeared to be made for Sony. Therefore, it may turn out that the Japanese electronic conglomerate preps several ULCPC models.

Representatives for Fujitsu, NEC, Sony and Toshiba did not comment on the news-story.