Smartphones Outshine Handhelds

[sUnShInE]

According to a new survey, many consumers are opting for smartphones over handhelds. Additionally, Nokia has overtaken PalmOne as the top seller of "mobile computers" for the 1st quarter of '04.

Nokia's ascent comes from sales of its smartphones which, like handhelds, offer personal organisers and can be loaded with different types of software. Nokia sold 1.67 million smartphones, up from 900,000 a year earlier. The total market grew by 41% to 5.93 million units, while global shipments of smartphone products more than doubled. Shipments of handheld computers made by the likes of PalmOne and Hewlett-Packard remained virtually flat, with PO holding a substantial share advantage over HP.

Until about 18 months ago, Nokia only participated in the mobile computing market with its bulky Communicator, but its Series 60 software has brought advanced software and features to much smaller and lighter models.

Having recently obtained a smartphone myself, I can honestly say that I'll never give up my pda. The availability of software for smartphones is stifling, and data input is difficult at best. The draw for me was the deal I got from my wireless carrier -- I made $75 for upgrading my phone and switching providers.

[Bob Russell]

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

According to a new survey, many consumers are opting for smartphones over handhelds. Additionally, Nokia has overtaken PalmOne as the top seller of "mobile computers" for the 1st quarter of '04.

Nokia's ascent comes from sales of its smartphones which, like handhelds, offer personal organisers and can be loaded with different types of software....

Having recently obtained a smartphone myself, I can honestly say that I'll never give up my pda. The availability of software for smartphones is stifling, and data input is difficult at best. The draw for me was the deal I got from my wireless carrier -- I made $75 for upgrading my phone and switching providers.

I don't think this booming market for smartphones will last as long as people think it will....
Right now, carriers have created an artificial demand for cell phones by forcing you to pretty much buy one every time you sign a long-term contract (which is about the only practical way to buy service in the US). Everyone thinks the phones are subsidized by the carrier, but forget the carrier pays big $$s for the phones by raising their rates on you. YOU are the one really paying for the phone, but you just don't see it.

In the long run, it's hard to imagine this artificial market barrier between carriers existing. Phones will be capable across markets and you'll be able to reprogram them. And service costs will be so competitive (even against VOIP) that they will be forced to reduce the expensive subsidizing of your phone hardware. When you have to pay $600 for that fancy phone, a traditional PDA is going to sound like a pretty good option!!!!

[sUnShInE]

A-hem.

Um.

You may have missed the part where I mention that I got paid $75 to get this phone. Add to this that I can surf the internet with it for free -- my carrier doesn't charge you anything for wap/net browsing/email. I also have an insane amount of minutes, all on a really cheap plan.

Like I said though, until they start improving the software, particularly for SymbianOS phones, people will stick with pda's. I've never played with the Treo 600, but a friend has a pretty hardcore smartphone (Samsung I think, def PalmOS) and ditched her Palm altogether.

[Bob Russell]

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

A-hem.

Um.

You may have missed the part where I mention that I got paid $75 to get this phone. Add to this that I can surf the internet with it for free -- my carrier doesn't charge you anything for wap/net browsing/email. I also have an insane amount of minutes, all on a really cheap plan.

Like I said though, until they start improving the software, particularly for SymbianOS phones, people will stick with pda's. I've never played with the Treo 600, but a friend has a pretty hardcore smartphone (Samsung I think, def PalmOS) and ditched her Palm altogether.

It does sound like you got a great deal. You may have beat the system! But, in general, with the good sign-up deals, the provider must still get it back from slightly inflated monthly fees. That means, on average, we're paying for all that "free" hardware one way or the other.

As I think about what I said before about the smartphone market not being as strong as people think, I'll backtrack a bit... The smartphone market for the general user will always be strong because the PIM features will keep improving and will meet the general public's needs. Plus the $$ for the "smart" part will soon cost almost nothing.

But if you're picky about your PDA, the smartphones might not really satisfy you. Like a TV/VCR combo probably doesn't satisfy a videophile. So as a "PDAophile" I'm guilty of wishful thinking, I guess. I would much rather have a powerful PDA that can also make calls than a great phone that is just a pretty good PDA.

So I hope you're right about people sticking with their traditional PDAs for a while. Unless there is a spectacular alternative that pops up, I'm one guy that will really miss PDAs if they disappear!

BTW, Sunshine, Thanks for the article... as you can probably tell, I love this topic. Enjoy your phone!!!

[sUnShInE]

Oh, my pleasure. I love talking about gadgets in general.

Also bear in mind that with many smartphones that are out there, though the PIM may be decent, the interface is comparably harder to navigate than a pda -- particularly for data entry.

It can take me upwards of 1 min to type out a one sentence email on my clumsy phone.

I agree with your point about pda-philes, but just wait until the first Blackberry series 9k phone comes out with PalmOS functionality.