According to market intelligence firm IDC, sales of PDA devices without phone capabilities are down 9 straight quarters in a row. Obviously, with smartphones having more and more PDA functionality due to faster chips and better software, people don’t feel the need to carry around both a cellphone and a PDA.
Another firm, ABI, says smartphones are finally entering into the mainstream and will achieve a 15 percent worldwide marketshare. Will the new UMPCs be aimed at the shrinking PDA market, or will they be targeted towards mobile laptop users? Or will smartphones outperform these too?
What would you rather carry, a device that does everything but doesn’t fit in your pocket, or a device that can be tucked away neatly but lacks some functionality. Let us know in the comments!
Non-phone handheld market free-fall persists [Linux Devices]
