HP #1 Handheld Maker in Asia-Pacific

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2135696,00.html">http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2135696,00.html</a><br /><br />"Despite relatively slack demand over the past year, HP has increased its iPaq sales and gained market share to become number one in Asia. Compared with the same period last year, HP gained 28 percent in market share in first quarter 2003, while Palm slipped 34 percent over the same period. Overall, HP chalked up 70,365 in units shipped first quarter 2003 -- up from 55,135 over the same period last year -- while Palm shipped 56,410 units, down from 86,000 the year before."<br /><br />Most of the sales were to consumers and the full range of iPAQs available, ranging from the low priced 1910, the midrange 3900 and finally the high end 5400 helped HP gain share. Approximately 15% of the sales were to IT departments, a segment that is expected to increase as the economy improves.<br /><br />So, who was the big loser? "The systems losing the most ground to Windows? Not Palm OS, but proprietary systems used in low-cost products from firms based in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, which have also suffered the brunt of the drop in demand that caused the PDA market shrink 22 percent in unit shipments compared with the same period last year, according to Gartner." Windows CE based products, including those that run the Pocket PC OS run on nearly 50% of all handhelds in the Asia-Pacific area.

[ctmagnus]

:clap: :way to go: :rock on dude!:

[Daimaou]

While I was living in Hong Kong, (1.5 Years ago now) Indeed I could see the Ipaq Blooming there, and where taking more and more place in shops, but SONY is still very loved in Asia, anyway one Interesting things is that in Japan where I am living actually, is still a Pain in the ass to find a retaill shop who sell the Ipaq, in Tokyo I heard it may have some, but never saw one !

All shop are selling Toshiba, Casio Products but no Ipaq, on the second Hand market I can see 1000 of Japanese PPC for 1 Ipaq...

[Corn Bread]

I live in the Philippines, and I can see that the iPAQis indeed blooming here. But just as Daimaou has said, the SOny Clie is still loved by lots of people, in our own store, the Clie is still the best selling handheld.

Nice to see the iPAQ taking the throne in the Asia Pacific market. :way to go:

[rosettaZ]

The new h1920 seems to be very popular in Japan during the introduction week. Tho' I think it has something to do with HP's introductory discount price of under 20K Yen. It's an echo of h1910 introduction when HP's was handing out sporadic $100 rebate.

[ctmagnus]

It's an echo of h1910 introduction when HP's was handing out sporadic $100 rebate.

My exchange calculations may be off, but isn't that around 30%?

[rosettaZ]

Yes for several days, the h1910 was $199 after rebate.

[mmace]

The new h1920 seems to be very popular in Japan during the introduction week.

Just an FYI, Japan's not included in the Gartner Asia Pacific numbers. Gartner's APAC report is dominated by the numbers for China, because of its high population. I think South Korea is the second largest market, and Australia is up there as well...

Mike
CCO, PalmSource

[mangochutneyman]

To Mr Mace,

Just curious, but why have no PalmSource lisencees released an OS 5.x equivalent to the h1910? Certainly your former collegues at Palm Solutions recall the succes they enjoyed with the svelt V/Vx/M series pdas! Why haven't we seen a thin tablet OS 5.x pda with virtual graffiti? It was precisely these factors that lured me away from my old Vx to the h1910. Anyway just a thought...

[Fishie]

While I was living in Hong Kong, (1.5 Years ago now) Indeed I could see the Ipaq Blooming there, and where taking more and more place in shops, but SONY is still very loved in Asia, anyway one Interesting things is that in Japan where I am living actually, is still a Pain in the ass to find a retaill shop who sell the Ipaq, in Tokyo I heard it may have some, but never saw one !

All shop are selling Toshiba, Casio Products but no Ipaq, on the second Hand market I can see 1000 of Japanese PPC for 1 Ipaq...

Hey man, you shouldnt complain actually.
The devices you can casually check out in Akihabara we in the west can only dream of.
4Inch transflective full VGA screens with 256k colours running on CE.net etcetera.
While we are still stuck at QVGA resolutions and the standard PPC form factor.
Im using a 1910 right now but if Sony releases that new mini Clie with the new PalmOS I might switch.
Its even smaller then the 1910 and Sony´s track record in mind it should be a killer device.