Why Microsoft Outselling PalmOS "Handhelds" Isn't a Big Deal
Microsoft overtakes rival palm - (United Press International): "Palm has said the overall size of the handheld market is declining as more consumers shift to cell phones, MP3 players and other gadgets that incorporate electronic organizer features.
'Every time someone buys a Palm OS [operating system] smart phone, that's one person less buying a Palm OS handheld,' so shrinking handheld numbers are 'what you would expect,' said Michael Mace, chief competitive officer for PalmSource Inc."
Mace brings up a valid point. The Gartner numbers reflect only PDAs without cell phone functionality, meaning that the wildly successful PalmOne Treo is not counted (why do we have so much trouble in this country not counting things?). PalmOS still outsells Windows Mobile in the PDA/Smartphone space when all PDAs are taken into account.
What this number really means is that Windows Mobile licensees are still making a lot of dedicated handhelds, while PalmOne is joining Samsung and other PalmOS licensees in focusing on smartphones. So the real question is this: one piece or two? Who has it right: the Pocket PC-paired-via-Bluetooth-to-cellphone crowd, or the convergent PDA-and-cellphone-in-one crowd?
While I'm sure this marks me as a weirdo (yet again), I'm taking the middle way: PalmOS to a Bluetooth cellphone. More to follow.
'Every time someone buys a Palm OS [operating system] smart phone, that's one person less buying a Palm OS handheld,' so shrinking handheld numbers are 'what you would expect,' said Michael Mace, chief competitive officer for PalmSource Inc."
Mace brings up a valid point. The Gartner numbers reflect only PDAs without cell phone functionality, meaning that the wildly successful PalmOne Treo is not counted (why do we have so much trouble in this country not counting things?). PalmOS still outsells Windows Mobile in the PDA/Smartphone space when all PDAs are taken into account.
What this number really means is that Windows Mobile licensees are still making a lot of dedicated handhelds, while PalmOne is joining Samsung and other PalmOS licensees in focusing on smartphones. So the real question is this: one piece or two? Who has it right: the Pocket PC-paired-via-Bluetooth-to-cellphone crowd, or the convergent PDA-and-cellphone-in-one crowd?
While I'm sure this marks me as a weirdo (yet again), I'm taking the middle way: PalmOS to a Bluetooth cellphone. More to follow.
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