The pair had been expected to knock the wind out of the sales of traditional suppliers by applying their aggressive smartphone business models to notebooks. The first notebooks were expected next year.

Now Digitimes  said that while the release of tablets is still expected for next year the numbers are going to be a lot lower.

Huawei has placed orders for less than 600,000 units placed with Compal , while Xiaomi's orders to Quanta  and Compal total less than 800,000.

It is not bad as a start, but the supply chain was hoping that the two would help snatch the notebook industry out of the doledrums.

The upstream supply chain is feeling the pain, as demand for notebooks continues to slide. Some smaller notebook vendors such as Sony, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have already said stuff this for a game of soldiers and walked away.

All any one knows is that Huawei's notebook adopts a 10-inch display, a 2-in-1 design and is developed and manufactured by Compal.

Rumours are that Xiaomi has pulled back because its management iis divided about entering into the notebook market. Some key executives are concerned that the move may repeat its failure to get into tablets and get badly burnt.