Are Smartphones Going To Take Over The PDA Market?

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2132' target='_blank'>http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2132</a><br /><br /></div>"As PDAs start to take on phone properties and phones the opposite, it’s clear to many that the Smartphone will become the mobile phone and PDA market leader in the next few years. Jin-Sung Choi shares this vision. The head of the Mobile Communications Tech Research Lab at LG Electronics gave a recent keynote describing how he sees the mobile handset design evolving over the next several years."<br /><br />This article goes on to talk about the convergence of the PDA and the smartphone over the next 3 to 5 years. Right now, I think there is a big push in the PDA world to be more phone-like. While the phone world is content at slowly pushing into PDA functionality. Regardless, I don't see one converged device for consumers in the near future. We have many different types of vehicles on our roads. Each type matches a different need for the consumer. Some people need a truck, some a car, while others need a compact car. The mobile device world is the same way. Some people don't want or can't afford a phone, but want a PDA. While corporations are going to want a large screen with easy input functionality for enterprise automation. The line between PDA and smartphone will be hard to draw, but it's not going away.

[possmann]

You know, I don't buy this statement... I think that until hardware technology changes, you will always have need for these two seperate functionaing devices.

Until my PDA is as small and light as my phone (I would even accept a 240x320 resolution again) and has the same touch-screen user interface - forget it. Imagining taking notes on your phone by key-tapping - it ain't gonna happen.

I think that the MPx is on it's way to revolutionizing the marketplace, but hardware still has a way to go - screen resolution, battery life, form factor etc...

[ConsultingNerd]

I have to agree with possmann. From my experience with developing software for both the commercial and enterprise PDA market, the PDA will remain as long as extensive data entry, barcode scanning, or mag-stripe reading will be required.

A All-In-One unit is a nice idea, but all you have to do is look at how well Sony did with the Clie units to see that having unique features sells handhelds. Same goes for the PalmOne units. If I were a corporate type using a Palm OS handheld, I wouldn't want to use a Zire. I would want a Tungsten T3. Sleek, professional looking...

I think the MPx will make a huge impact on the PDA/smartphone market. It has on me and has not even been released yet :). In my oppinion, if smartphones are to be the "replacement" of PDA's they need to maintain the screen size and resolution and data entry capabilities of a PDA, but yet not look like you are holding a brick up to your face, i.e. maintain their "phone-ness".

[David McNamee]

I think - and always have - that there will never be one dominant form factor. There is alway going to be a market for the phone form factor. Even the MPx is trying to imitate the look and feel of a phone in order to tap into that market.

I agree with the folks who think the MPx is going to have a major impact. The MDA III will have an impact as well. But those two devices are going to impact the market for consumers wanting a device that is a PDA first and foremost.