PDA Market Faces Steep Decline

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.in-stat.com/press.asp?ID=1262&sku=IN0501831ID' target='_blank'>http://www.in-stat.com/press.asp?ID=1262&sku=IN0501831ID</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The traditional PDA is heading for significant declines in sales, and in fact is nearing the end of its life as a major product segment, according to In-Stat (<a href="http://www.in-stat.com">http://www.in-stat.com</a>). Shipments reached only 8.7 million units in 2004, down from 10 million in 2003, the high-tech market research firm says. The outlook for upcoming years is not good, as the PDA market will have a negative Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of -21.5% during the 2004-2009 period."</i><br /><br />This isn't really new news but half way through this article is the mention of PDA vendors making devices to target smartphone users. We have already seen this coming as well. They know we want an all-in-one device but it is obvious they don't know what to make yet judging by what's on the market now.

[vincenzosi]

It's starting to get old with these guys.

Ever see the movie Sneakers? The theory on banks failing? You know, if you start saying a bank is going to fail, and everyone withdraws their money because of it, then the bank will fail, thus making you look smarter?

Eventually they're going to be right about the PDA market. There's no doubt.

But at some point someone should point out that they've been saying this for at least the last 3-4 years. We get it. The PDA is dead. Yadda yadda yadda.

Eventually these guys are going to be right; I just have a feeling it's going to be a lot of "I told you so" from guys who made this bold prediction back in 2001. I think someone needs to point that out to these pundits. Every year we hear the PDA is dead. Sales are declining. Innovation is stagnant. Then HP or Palm comes out with a bunch of new handhelds and all of a sudden, the talk goes away.

Lather rinse repeat.

[Jerry Raia]

Sorta like saying 1000 years ago the abacus is dead? :lol:

[vincenzosi]

Bingo :lol:

[Ilium Software]

Depending on your definition of PDA and Smartphone, there are different views:

PDA sales up:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=7613

PDA sales down:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=7532

For those who claim the market is down, the HP 6315, HP 6340, and Treo are not PDA's by their definitions: they consider these to be smartphones.
If you consider these to be PDA's, then the market as a whole is growing, with the mix changing to be PDA's with radios as the dominant form factor.

[Mike Temporale]

For those who claim the market is down, the HP 6315, HP 6340, and Treo are not PDA's by their definitions: they consider these to be smartphones.
If you consider these to be PDA's, then the market as a whole is growing, with the mix changing to be PDA's with radios as the dominant form factor.

Excellent point. Around here, we consider those PDA's.