Smartphone and Converged Devices Grow 400% Over Last Year

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9813950451.html">http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9813950451.html</a><br /><br />Smartphone and converged devices, like the Pocket PC Phone Edition, grew 400% to 1.71 million units in the first quarter of 2003 compared to the first quarter of 2002. That isn't really a big surprise as very few such devices existed the first quarter of last year. I would expect to see similar trends through the end of 2004 in fact as the market is still in its infancy.<br /><br />"The evolution of color displays, digital imaging, and converged handheld devices continues to drive growth in the worldwide handset market," noted Ross Sealfon, research analyst in IDC's Smart Handheld Devices program. "Despite continued economic uncertainty, a strong first quarter supported by new technologies and form factors indicates healthy industry growth during 2003."<br /><br />Who knows? We might even see a MS powered Smartphone in North America in 2003. :wink:

[Timothy Rapson]

Why oh Why does it take this long?

Palm has been selling smart phones since the phone module shipped for the Handspring of what three years ago? (Don't these count as smartphones? Why or why not?) The latest Treos seem to me terrific options for anyone wanting a PDA and a phone. I have no idea why they don't sell. The only thing I can possibly see is that people want phones that are shaped like traditionaly phones, no matter how that corupts the feature set, that is, no matter how tiny the screen is. The Treo even has the built in speaker phone and earpiece plug for private use that I think was just a stellar part of the design. But, it appears no one is buying them. Go figur.

I guess since I don't have a cell phone and don't know all the roaming, CDMA, GSM, MMS, BitRate transfer, and $$$multi-hundred$$$ monthly phone bills that can result I shouldn't speak, but really!

How long does it take Microsoft and Symbian to get their act together in the US? Orange or SP or whoever it was, originally announced that they would ship in the Fall of 2002! I guess we have smartphones in Europe from both Symbian (the superb P800, with the cripling memory stinks dud slot) and ??? (who is it that took up where Orange left off?), but nothing here? I have heard of a few brave souls who have bought P800s and taken the SMM from a Canadian cell phone to get it to work. It is really sad.

On the other hand it seems inevitable that they will both get their acts together and I can only wonder if there will be anything left of the original PDA market when everyone can get a phone for practically nothing that does everything they wanted to do with a PDA.

[aussie]

Actually you can get a MSFT smartphone right now - unlocked and ready to go (GSM/GPRS). Simply order a Smartphone 2002 developers kit @

http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/developer/smartphonedeveloperkitoffer/?3

and away you go. The phone is actually very good - although maybe not quite ready for the general consumer. Everyone I have shown the phone too is simply amazed at what it can do - Smartphone 2002 really blows away anything else I have ever seen.

check out www.everlinkwireless.com for additional details.

[vetteguy]

Actually you can get a MSFT smartphone right now - unlocked and ready to go (GSM/GPRS). Simply order a Smartphone 2002 developers kit @

http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/developer/smartphonedeveloperkitoffer/?3

and away you go. The phone is actually very good - although maybe not quite ready for the general consumer. Everyone I have shown the phone too is simply amazed at what it can do - Smartphone 2002 really blows away anything else I have ever seen.

check out www.everlinkwireless.com for additional details.
Except for the problem that the included phone is not capable of making or receiving calls, as it is not network ready. Otherwise, this would be a good deal for $500. All I want is an Orange SmartPhone...I don't see what is so difficult about that. It'll be 2004 before the first ones are ever released in this country, and by then Orange will be on their third revision.

[Timothy Rapson]

Personally, I could not go for a MS Smartphone if it didn't run the PPC software that I would use, Laridian Bible, PocketArtist, Textmaker.... real software. I guess PPC Phone Edition is there for that market, but will all of these programs show up on Smartphone someday? I am betting they will and PPC PE will die out as will all mere PDAs. I really wonder if MS had to completely redo the PPC OS to do a proper phone, but as Ed frequently relates here, there are just differences, big differences in the way a phone has to work and how a PDA does.

I don't understand them because I don't use a cell phone. Anyway, I don't see many folks worrying about the difference except us PDA geeks. Everyone else is going to get a phone and find out later if it does some select PDA stuff they might want to add. So, we are ALL looking at it backwards from what the market is really doing .



How does Smart phone "blow away" Symbian, or PPC PE?

[aussie]

I am using the phone as my everyday phone right now - using a SIM chip from Rogers - it works great - fully integrated with my Outlook/Exchange email/contacts/calendar. I can assure you that the phone is real and totally unlocked (unlike the SPV).

go to www.modaco.com for some discussion around the Red-E.

[David McNamee]

Except for the problem that the included phone is not capable of making or receiving calls, as it is not network ready.

It is network ready, it just doesn't come with service from a carrier. I have been using it with service from AT&T since Tuesday. This is still a "pre-production" unit, so I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. All in all, though, I'm enjoying the experience.

The worst part is having to brush up my C++/Win32 skills to write software for the phone. That really makes me appreciate the .NET Framework!!

[Dom]

Maybe but are they Microsoft Smart Phones ? See report below:

"Executive summary

Microsoft’s Smartphone platform is not having an easy birth. Orange has managed to sell just 60,000 of its own-brand SPV handsets across its territories in the four months to April this year. Smart Communications in the Philippines is the only other operator to have launched a Smartphone device. The software giant is also having problems getting devices to market. HTC is the only manufacturer with a commercially available handset, and resistance from the Symbian camp is fierce and well organised.

But Microsoft is far from being out of the race to steal mobile handset real estate. In this new report, EDGE Consult estimates that while only 1.6 million Smartphone handsets, representing just 0.4 percent of the total handset market will be sold in 2003, this figure will rise to 28 million units in 2005, 5.8 percent of the total handset market.

Compiled through discussions with Microsoft, operators and developers, EDGE Consult models the impact of the Smartphone licensee fee on Microsoft’s bottom line and demonstrates that the software giant is fundamentally not in this game for the license fee alone.

Smartphone is a key component of a broader strategy to propagate devices that can ‘consume’ .NET applications and services. EDGE Consult examines the .NET strategy, identifies where Smartphone fits in and how it will act as a multiplier for revenues from other Microsoft divisions. This affects the metrics that matter to Microsoft. While the handset vendors focus on stagnating annual shipments figures, Redmond will be watching the growth of an accumulated installed user-base.

Large, high-quality colour screens, PDA-level processing capacity, and application and hardware extensibility, make generic smartphone devices distinct from the traditional ‘dumb’ mobile handset. Users obtain greater utility while application developers acquire a new addressable market and network operators get devices that offer a very real chance of driving data revenues. EDGE Consult provides a full overview of the component aspects of Microsoft Smartphone and the hardware device specifications. The user experience of smartphones generally is analysed, and the strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Smartphone itself are highlighted from three perspectives: the end-user, the application developer and the network operator.

The traditional handset vendors are smart to oppose Microsoft’s entry into their market. The report analyses the impact the software giant’s entry will have on the handset industry, from shifting consumer utility away from handset hardware towards software and applications, to lowering the barriers for new market entrants.

Microsoft is running a strategy that anticipated a hostile reception to Smartphone. EDGE Consult identifies the five fronts on which the company has launched attacks in order to secure a presence in the handset OS market, and Microsoft’s performance on each is assessed. Contrary to much industry sentiment, its position is not impossible. EDGE Consult identifies the factors driving and retarding the roll-out of Smartphone. The report also highlights the issues Microsoft must address now if it is to see success in the handset arena.

This report is required reading for:

· Network operators

· Handset manufacturers

· Analysts, VCs and investors

· Consultants in the wireless sector

· Wireless software developers
"

Dom

[krisbrown]

Pffffffffff GPRS/MS SMARTPHONE...old news

http://www.three.co.uk/index.omp

They're trying to sell these over here, nice bit of kit for your money , phone is cheap ,but the call prices are a bit steep.

This is going to be big though, I thought the whole thing was a gimmick,but allready I am sending pics from my 7650 to friends, it IS a scream, and it's amazing what girls will do for the camera 8O

[ShivShanks]

Who knows? We might even see a MS powered Smartphone in North America in 2003. :wink:

I have a feeling that Microsoft is going to launch something related to smartphones with the "Matrix Reloaded" release. There was that hint of a Samsung promotion for a phone along with Microsoft. I feel quite reasonably that if Microsoft wanted to make a big splash about the Smart Phone launch it would try to do it along with the Matrix sequel. Just imagine the publicity and target group possibilities with a launch like that. Maybe we might finally see the Samsung smartphone at that launch. At least I am hoping that my speculation is true. Anyway less than 2 weeks left so we'll know soon enough :)

[Dom]

What an amazing idea. I honestly feel that that would make the Smart Phone a dead cert success. The Matrix is just so awesome and any association with it would be great.
Dom

[aussie]

This is the matrix phone

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?id=287

Not the phone I was hoping for

http://cgi.chollian.net/~mpreview2/ez2000/ezboard.cgi?db=news&action=read&dbf=93&page=0&depth=5

so the Red-e will have to do. It actually is a pretty impressive phone and I truly believe that people will flock to them (Smartphones that is - including - don't shoot me - Symbian) when they arrive on this side of the pond.