IDC Report Says Lack of New Devices Contribute to Continued Decline of Handheld Market

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS20429006' target='_blank'>http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?conta...Id=prUS20429006</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The worldwide market for handheld devices continued along its downward path during the third quarter of 2006. ...The absence of new models does not necessarily mean the end of the handheld market, however. "There are users who remain fiercely loyal to their handheld devices, and smaller niche users have emerged," [Ramon Llamas, research analyst for IDC's Mobile Markets team] added. ..."If usage for specific non-network tasks like self-education increase, we could expect an increase in shipments and possibly new devices that are optimized for particular tasks.""</i><br /><br />IDC's Worldwide Handheld QView takes a look a the declining sales of non-phone handhelds and offers some analysis of Palm, HP, Dell, Mio and Sharp. So, our own Ed wonders whether the lack of new devices contributes to the continued decline of the handheld market OR whether the continued decline of the handheld market contributes to the lack of new devices. Your thoughts?

[Jerry Raia]

I think it comes down to connectivity. The first thing I get asked when someone sees me using one of my devices is: "Can you get on the Internet with that?". If my answer had to be "Yes but I have to go stand near a Starbucks to do so", I doubt it would interest many people. From what the article says telephony was excluded. I suspect they mean Pocket PC Phones as well.

[Paul Martin]

I think it comes down to connectivity. The first thing I get asked when someone sees me using one of my devices is: "Can you get on the Internet with that?". If my answer had to be "Yes but I have to go stand near a Starbucks to do so", I doubt it would interest many people. From what the article says telephony was excluded. I suspect they mean Pocket PC Phones as well.

It's funny, I get the same question, then have to explain it's not a phone, "just" a PDA. Yes, I think they meant the declining figures they were showing in the charts were NOT including smartphones, Pocket PC Phones, etc. I would assume those figures are climbing.

[Ed@Brighthand]

IDC says a mobile device with any kind of cellular-wireless connection is a smartphone not a handheld, and therefore excludes it from this list. This means that none of the Pocket PC phones or (of course) WM Smartphones are counted.

As increasing numbers of people are turning away from traditional handhelds and getting Pocket PC phones, IDC's results are no surprise. Just don't read too much into them, and assume it means no one is buying handhelds any more. People just want ones with cellular-wireless connectivity.

I prefer Gartner's way of defining handhelds and smartphones, which includes cellular-wireless handhelds in with traditional handhelds, and puts more voice-oriented devices in a different list. When organized this way, handhelds are having their best year ever, as you can see here (http://forum.brighthand.com/showthread.php?p=1444085). (Hope you don't mind if I link to my article on Brighthand).

[SteveHoward999]

My Toshiba E830 is getting kind of tired - the case is cracked and chipped. It still works fine, but it's looking worn. It should be, I probably use it at least 2 hours a day. I've wanted to upgrade for some time, but there's nothing to upgrade to as there have been no new quality devices released of late that inspired my interest.

So the tired old PDA is going to be relagated to home use only. It's my eBook reader.

Meantime, in lieu of new VGA PDA/phones that appear to be on the verge of releast, today I bought a Nokia E62 to serve as my phone/PDA until such times as I can get a VGA WM device. I like Nokias, the phone is powerful enough to do what I need until I can get the WM device - oh and the price was great :-)

So I agree, there has been a shortage of new devices. I'm hoping that will change very soon. Also, if the definition of handheld or mobile devices were to be updated to reflect current devices and usage the industry would look rather more healthy to the statisticians ;-)

[whydidnt]

I would say that the market is evolving to converged devices and if you are simply looking at the traditional PDA or "Handheld" device then, yes the market is declining. However, I also strongly believe that manufacturers have have greatly accelerated this decline by a) not releasing any compelling new devices and b) suffering from severe lack of innovation when it comes to those devices released.

How long has it been that we've been stuck with 400 Mhz devices with a 3.5" screen and 64 MB of usable memory? Sure some through in slightly faster processor, or larger screen, but NO ONE has really innovated in the last 4 years. Palm tried with the Life Drive, but they used a crippled OS and did an awful job using the hard drive.

[CTSLICK]

IDC Report Says Lack of New Devices Contribute to Continued Decline of Handheld Market And in other news...the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Sorry...couldn't resist ;)

But as others are indicating the numbers are not so shocking once you understand what makes them up. "Pocket PC" is evolving, I think IDC needs to as well.

[Paul Martin]

"Pocket PC" is evolving, I think IDC needs to as well.

Just today, I was talking to a friend who was wanting to get a laptop. I made an assumption that the new laptop would have built-in wireless. Certainly, I would not have assumed that a few years ago. Perhaps phone features will become just as built-in and assumed for mobile devices as wifi is for lappys, requiring the expansion of the "Pocket PC" as a category.

[saru83]

i will always like to c some strictly Pocket PC devices, they have been used for a lot of tasks &amp; will always have a market, ya for personal use a Pocket PC phone makes more sense but i have seen PPC's used in local restaurants for taking orders which was very cool.. anyways, what i would like to c is High End Pocket PC's like 624MHz Processor, with Hardware video accelerator, 4GB+ Flash ROM w/ 256MB RAM, GPS, wifi, VGA with 4" Screens, SDHC &amp; CF expansion.. stuff like that.. if there is/was any, i would get one for sure &amp; use is with my Samsung i320 &amp; be Highly satisfied.. :wink:

[Steve Jordan]

The real and continuing problem of battery life is a major reason why I still don't want a smartphone, I'd prefer separate devices. It amazes me that manufacturers can't see the need for separate devices... how easy is it to take down notes on a smartphone, while you're having them dictated to you over the phone? How much talk time will you get after you've been watching your downloaded season 2 of Lost for five hours straight?

I believe PDAs can converge into Internet-connected devices without becoming phones, and that is how I'd prefer them. I believe cellphones that do too much are lousy phones. And I believe that I can't be the only person who feels this way.

[baker]

The real and continuing problem of battery life is a major reason why I still don't want a smartphone, I'd prefer separate devices. It amazes me that manufacturers can't see the need for separate devices... how easy is it to take down notes on a smartphone, while you're having them dictated to you over the phone? How much talk time will you get after you've been watching your downloaded season 2 of Lost for five hours straight?

I believe PDAs can converge into Internet-connected devices without becoming phones, and that is how I'd prefer them. I believe cellphones that do too much are lousy phones. And I believe that I can't be the only person who feels this way.

I concur. I pull information off my iPaq while I'm talking on the phone all the time.

[Jerry Raia]

A Pocket PC Phone with a good headset would do that too.

[ADBrown]

The real and continuing problem of battery life is a major reason why I still don't want a smartphone, I'd prefer separate devices. It amazes me that manufacturers can't see the need for separate devices... how easy is it to take down notes on a smartphone, while you're having them dictated to you over the phone? How much talk time will you get after you've been watching your downloaded season 2 of Lost for five hours straight?

I believe PDAs can converge into Internet-connected devices without becoming phones, and that is how I'd prefer them. I believe cellphones that do too much are lousy phones. And I believe that I can't be the only person who feels this way.

You're not. I'm of the same opinion. And a PPC phone with a Bluetooth headset isn't the same: for one thing if you're going to do that, you're still carrying and charging two devices. Besides which, I abuse my Axim's battery life in ways I never would with my phone, because I know that if the battery dies, I just recharge or swap it when I get the chance. Not so if I might miss a phone call.

[virain]

i will always like to c some strictly Pocket PC devices, they have been used for a lot of tasks &amp; will always have a market, ya for personal use a Pocket PC phone makes more sense but i have seen PPC's used in local restaurants for taking orders which was very cool.. anyways, what i would like to c is High End Pocket PC's like 624MHz Processor, with Hardware video accelerator, 4GB+ Flash ROM w/ 256MB RAM, GPS, wifi, VGA with 4" Screens, SDHC &amp; CF expansion.. stuff like that.. if there is/was any, i would get one for sure &amp; use is with my Samsung i320 &amp; be Highly satisfied.. :wink:
You may consider UMPC instead, You came to close to this family of mobile devices in your specs. Plus the price would be in a very close range to settle for PPC over almost, and I repeat almost fully functional PC.
Check this one out: http://www.dynamism.com/vega/main.shtml

[Dyvim]

And I believe that I can't be the only person who feels this way.

You're not. I want my phone to be a phone, and a small one with great battery life at that. I want my PDA to be a powerhouse with a 4" VGA screen and dual slots for lots of onboard storage (like 12 GB). Those 2 things are simply not compatible (esp. small phone vs. PDA with 4" screen). For now my aging Toshiba e830 fits the bill for the PDA part. I own an eTen M600 WM5 PocketPC phone, but I only use it for development and carry a SLVR for my phone. The eTen simply can't compete with the older Toshiba's larger VGA screen, faster processor, 128MB RAM, and extra CF card plus jog dial, USB host, etc.