PDA shipments decline yet again 8.7% in Q3 2004

Worldwide shipments of handheld PDAs lacking telephone capabilities decreased to 2.1 mln units in Q3 2004 - an 8.7% drop YTY and a 4.6% decline QTQ, IDC said. Shipments decreased 2% in Q2 and nearly 12% in Q1. Shipments were off a total 18% in 2003, despite a 3% increase in Q4 2003.

In Q3 2004 PalmOne commanded nearly 34.7% of the market, down from a 42% share the previous quarter. HP took the second place with 30.6%, followed by Dell at 8.9%; MiTac International at 3.2%; and Sony at 2.1%. Sony, which in June announced its plans to exit the conventional PDA business, except in Japan, had held the No. 3 position in Q2 with a 7.8% share.