In IDC's lexicon, "handheld devices" includes units having wireless Internet access and text communications capabilities, but excludes devices with integrated mobile phone functions. Hence, PDA/phone devices such as
Windows Mobile Pocket PC phones are not counted in IDC's handheld device market numbers.
In stark contrast to IDC's bleak outlook for non-phone handhelds, analysts are universally bullish on the robust growth of the overall
mobile phone market (Gartner data), and on the rising fortunes of
converged mobile devices (Canalys data). ABI, for example,
in February predicted that smartphones will advance beyond early adopters and into the mainstream in 2006, doubling their shipment volumes to around 123 million units and attaining 15 percent of the worldwide mobile phone market.
Interestingly, Gartner
reported in February that by its definition of PDAs -- devices that
can include built-in WAN hardware for voice, but are "data-first, voice-second" devices, thus including PDA/phones such as Windows Mobile Pocket PC phones -- the worldwide PDA market hit a new high in 2005, with annual shipments of 14.9 million units, surpassing the previous record of 13.2 million set in 2001.
Non-phone handheld vendor standingsAccording to IDC's latest data, Palm retained its top-ranked position with 32.2 percent of the market. The other top five vendors were Hewlett-Packard (22.5 percent), Dell (9.7 percent), Acer (7.5 percent), and Mio (7.1 percent).
IDC noted that shipments of Palm's line of Treo smartphones continued to increase, surpassing shipments of its non-phone handheld devices.
"After nine consecutive quarters of year-over-year decline, many are wondering how long this trend will continue, and whether the market will see a reverse," noted Ramon Llamas, research analyst with IDC's Mobile Markets team.
"IDC believes that the market will eventually hit a size where the rate of year-over-year decline will slow to a sustainable level. That size has yet to be determined, but will be sustained by the core users of handheld devices as well as the enhancements found on these devices," Llamas added.
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