SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - True to most predictions, the personal digital assistant is slowly being absorbed into the cell phone. Worldwide shipments of basic personal digital assistants dipped 2 percent in the second quarter, with so-called smart phones making inroads.
Makers of handheld computers, or PDAs, shipped 2.2 million units in the quarter, according to figures released Tuesday by market research firm IDC. In all of 2003, sales of such handheld organizers without phone functions slipped 18 percent, IDC said.
Sales of smart phones, which combine organizer functions with voice capabilities and more, continue to rise as more technologies converge in smaller confines.
This week, Hewlett-Packard Co. announced an all-in-one PDA that will include cell phone, wireless Internet and Bluetooth capabilities, while Motorola Inc. (MOT) unveiled new mobile phones with e-mail and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Last month, Sony Corp. (SNE), once the second-leading PDA maker, announced it will soon exit the conventional PDA business, except in Japan.
In the second quarter, PalmOne Inc., the top PDA seller, had 42 percent of the market, followed by HP with 24.1 percent.
Sony held 7.8 percent, Dell Inc. (DELL) had 6.6 percent, and Germany's Medion AG had 4.1 percent.
apnews.myway.com
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