PDA shipments rise, but growth rate slows

According to Cahners In-Stat/MDR, global shipments of personal digital assistants (PDAs) grew 17% in 2001 despite a weak global economy and continuing erosion of consumer confidence, however this represents a significant slowdown growth rate from the previous year.

According to Neil Strother, a senior wireless handset analyst, "Key PDA market drivers for the coming years will be more robust devices with newer and more reliable applications, backed by better wireless data and phone networks; wider use of Bluetooth and other short-range wireless technologies; and lower unit prices. Shipments in 2002 for PDAs will increase about 18% as new manufacturers enter the market and a wave of wireless functionality takes hold in a big way. The future will be all about making the PDA a more ubiquitous device and more useful to both the mobile business user and the on-the-go consumer."

In-Stat/MDR has also found that:

* The three major customer segments for PDAs are consumer, mobile professionals and enterprise.

* The global long-term market forecast for PDAs is solid, with annual growth through 2005 in the double-digit range, peaking in about 2004 at 30%, and then tapering off in 2005 as the market matures.

* The current OS leader among PDAs is clearly Palm followed by Pocket PC and Windows CE.