Handheld Market Doubled in 2000

Posted By: Ed Thursday, January 25, 2001 12:43:28 PM

Market research firm NPD Intelect has released a study that really makes it clear that handheld computer sales exploded last year. For the entire range of such devices (including Palm and its licensees, PocketPC and a few others), 3.5 million devices were sold in 2000, a 150% increase over the 1.3 million sold in in 1999. And revenue increased almost as much, going from $436.5 million sold in 1999 to $1.03 billion in 2000.

For the year, Palm maintained its market dominance, though it slipped a bit. In 2000, it has 72% of unit sales, down from 78% in 1999. But that is still far ahead of its next nearest rival Handspring who had 14% of unit sales.

Last year, the top three PocketPC manufacturers, Casio, H-P, and Compaq had their combined percentage of the market decline slightly. In 1999 they had 13.9% of the market, while in 2000 they had 10.3%.

As further proof of Palm's healthy lead over its rivals, Palm CEO Carl Yankowski recently said, "Extrapolating from the most recent PC Data reports, the absolute sequential increase in Palm units for Q1 to Q2 is well ahead of the total units shipped last quarter by any of our competitors, and in excess of the entire Pocket PC community. "

Special thanks to ZDnet.

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In the crappers

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2001 3:05:03 PM #

> Last year, the top three PocketPC manufacturers, Casio, H-P, and Compaq had their combined percentage
> of the market decline slightly. In 1999 they had 13.9% of the market, while in 2000 they had 10.3%.

Down 3% in 2000 from an already miserable 13% in '99?
We've all given PocketPC more than the few months needed to show strong pickup, but it's obviously going nowhere. Third time unlucky for MS?



RE: In the crappers
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2001 4:56:44 PM #
It's hard to say at this point. Compaq still can't produce the iPAQ in sufficient quantities to even make it to retail shelves. So how do you compare a product that's available on the store shelf to one you can't get at all? Also, there are more Pocket PC makers on the way...Toshiba, and even Philips (remember the NINO) may start making Pocket PCs!

Who knows. Once all of these devices catch of with demand....then we can see how the numbers stack up.

RE: In the crappers
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2001 6:33:49 PM #
Isn't the "they can't build 'em fast enough" excuse wearing a bit thin by now? I've seen iPaqs in several stores locally, and there are plenty of new and used ones for sale on eBay. Sure, they're not lining the shelves of every Wal-Mart, but if somebody wants one, they can get one.

RE: In the crappers
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2001 8:01:35 PM #
Just because you see iPAQ's on store shelves doesn't mean they are in stock. Every electronics store has a demo unit, but you'll have a hard time trying to find one.

RE: In the crappers
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/25/2001 9:31:35 PM #
Uh..dude, I know the difference between stock and demo units. I've seen the fucker in STOCK at several stores locally. Kwitcherbitchin.

14% for Handspring?

GrouchoMarx @ 1/26/2001 1:31:12 PM #
The #2 PalmOS maker, Handspring, has almost half-again as much market share as the top three PocketPC manufacturers COMBINED. That fact alone speaks volumes. PPC just doesn't cut it for most people. Power users keep asking Palm to bring out something new-and-cool that is basically a PocketPC with the Palm label on it, but frankly, Palm knows that they don't need to. Yet they are still bringing out new devices, slowly moving forward in an evolutionary, not revolutionary fashion. Good for them.

--GrouchoMarx

RE: 14% for Handspring?
Ed @ 1/26/2001 2:47:45 PM #
There is a very interesting discussion over on PDABuzz about this among some PPC users who love their handhelds but admit they are just too expensive to be acceptable to a wide audience. They keep hoping someone, someday will be able to sell a sub-$300 PPC.

http://www2.pdabuzz.com/Discussion/Forum4/HTML/001203.html

And yet there are still so many Palm users who insult the m100 as useless and hope for a 200 MHz Palm, that will have all the disadvantages of the PPC (expensive, heavy, short battery life) and will probably sell about as many units as your average PPC (a few).

---
Plenipotentiary
Palm Infocenter

Bad for Compaq

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2001 5:44:13 AM #
Compaq should be ready to supply theirs customers demand. Good to Palm platform if people can't buy an iPaq.
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