Gartner Says Wireless E-Mail Applications Drive Worldwide PDA Shipments Increase
25 Percent in First Quarter of 2005
May 4, 2005 — Worldwide personal digital assistant (PDA) shipments totaled 3.4 million
units in the first quarter of 2005, a 25 percent increase from the same period last
year, according to Gartner, Inc. This was the strongest first quarter the industry
has experienced.
The average selling price (ASP) of PDAs increased 15 percent in the first quarter
of 2005 compared to the first quarter of 2004. The ASP was $406, which is the highest
since Gartner began ASP estimates in 2000. Gartner analysts attributed the increased
prices to the popularity of high-end wireless models.
"PDAs with integrated wireless local area network (LAN) or cellular capabilities
accounted for approximately 55 percent of all PDAs shipped in the first quarter
of 2005," said Todd Kort, principal analyst in Gartner's Computing Platforms Worldwide
group. "This increase is primarily the result of the growing popularity of wireless
e-mail, with users favoring larger displays and QWERTY keyboards that are operated
with both hands."
Research in Motion's BlackBerry shipments grew 75.6 percent in the first quarter,
as the company became the No. 1 ranked vendor in worldwide PDA shipments (see Table
1). palmOne PDA shipments declined 26.3 percent, and its market share fell to 18
percent, its lowest market share since it entered the market in 1996. Nokia's re-entry
into the wireless PDA market with the 9300 and 9500 enabled it to move into the
No. 4 position.
Table 1
Worldwide: Preliminary PDA Vendor Shipment Estimates, 1Q05 (Units)
| Company |
1Q05 Shipments |
1Q05 Market Share (%) |
1Q04 Shipments |
1Q04 Market Share (%) |
1Q05 - 1Q04 Growth (%) |
| RIM |
711,000 |
20.8 |
405,000 |
14.8 |
75.6 |
| palmOne |
614,750 |
18.0 |
834,591 |
30.5 |
-26.3 |
| HP |
601,352 |
17.6 |
575,853 |
21.0 |
4.4 |
| Nokia |
340,000 |
9.9 |
- |
0.0 |
N/A |
| Dell |
217,000 |
6.3 |
163,250 |
6.0 |
32.9 |
| Others |
935,010 |
27.3 |
757,378 |
27.7 |
23.5 |
| Total |
3,419,112 |
100.0 |
2,736,072 |
100.0 |
25.0 |
Notes: Totals do not include smartphones, such as the Treo 650 and BlackBerry 7100,
but include wireless PDAs, such as the iPAQ 6315 and Nokia 9300. Columns may not
add to totals shown because of rounding.
N/A = Not applicable
Source: Gartner Dataquest (April 2005)
Microsoft has become the No. 1 PDA operating system (OS), as it accounted for 46
percent of worldwide shipments (see Table 2). RIM assumed the second position, as
Palm OS slipped to the No. 3 ranking, due to Palm OS shipments declining 38.8 percent.
"We expect that palmOne will be adding other operating systems and setting more
of its own direction, while PalmSource is redirecting itself toward Linux and smartphones,"
Mr. Kort said.
Table 2
Worldwide: Preliminary PDA Vendor Shipment Estimates by Operating System, 1Q05
| Company |
1Q05 Shipments |
1Q05 Market Share (%) |
1Q04 Shipments |
1Q04 Market Share (%) |
1Q05 - 1Q04 Growth (%) |
| Windows CE |
1,573,062 |
46.0 |
1,100,008 |
40.2 |
43.0 |
| RIM |
711,000 |
20.8 |
405,000 |
14.8 |
75.6 |
| Palm OS |
684,750 |
20.0 |
1,119,714 |
40.9 |
-38.8 |
| Symbian |
340,000 |
9.9 |
- |
0.0 |
N/A |
| Linux |
27,300 |
0.8 |
34,800 |
1.3 |
-21.6 |
| Others |
83,000 |
2.4 |
76,550 |
2.8 |
8.4 |
| Total |
3,419,112 |
100.0 |
2,736,072 |
100.0 |
25.0 |
Notes: Totals do not include smartphones, such as the Treo 650 and BlackBerry 7100,
but include wireless PDAs, such as the iPAQ 6315 and Nokia 9300.
Columns may not add to totals shown because of rounding.
Source: Gartner Dataquest (April 2005)
The Western European PDA market grew 84.3 percent to 1.3 million units in the first
quarter of 2005, while PDA shipments in the also totaled 1.3 million units, a 5
percent increase. PDA shipments in Asia/Pacific declined 2.7 percent with approximately
352,000 unit shipments. In Japan, PDA shipments declined 21.3 percent with nearly
80,000 units shipped in the first quarter.
Additional information is available in the Gartner report PDA Market Has Record
First Quarter, Growing 25 Percent. The report is available on Gartner's Web site.
About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. is the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information
technology industry. Gartner serves more than 10,000 clients, including chief information
officers and other senior IT executives in corporations and government agencies,
as well as technology companies and the investment community. The Company focuses
on delivering objective, in-depth analysis and actionable advice to enable clients
to make more informed business and technology decisions. The Company's businesses
consist of Research and Events for IT professionals; Gartner Executive Programs,
membership programs and peer networking services; and Gartner Consulting, customized
engagements with a specific emphasis on outsourcing and IT management. Founded in
1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and has over 3,900 associates,
including more than 1,100 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations
worldwide. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.