INTERVIEW-Compaq expects big European iPAQ sales in 2001
--From AOl.-- Cooters
LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Compaq Corp. <CPQ.N> said on Wednesday it expects to sell $500 million worth of wireless computers in Europe in 2001, most of it through the recently introduced iPAQ pocket PC.
"We expect our wireless business in 2001 to generate $500 million, half a billion, in Europe," Compaq's European president Rob Walker told Reuters in a telephone interview.
The wireless business is one of the hot growth sectors for Compaq which introduced a new line of pocket personal computers last year. Walker said the company had received orders for 30,000 of its iPAQ pocket PCs in the fourth quarter.
"But we are still in a supply situation. We haven't filled the retail channel's demands," he said.
The iPAQ, which is sold with monochrome and colour screens, can be bought in shops for between 500 euros ($465.1) and 800 euros, depending on features.
Compaq's handheld computers, which look similar to Palm Pilots but use a Microsoft operating system rather than a Palm operating system, can be bought on the Internet at 30 percent premiums over the official retail price, Walker said, indicating that demand outstrips supply.
Compaq's sales expectations suggest it could sell over a million handheld computers in Europe in 2001.
11:04 01-24-01 |
