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Ultra-Mobile Sales Ready To Rocket |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Monday, 17 September 2007 |
A
whole new class of "always-on" Internet-connected products,
collectively termed "Ultra-Mobile Devices" (UMDs), will become popular
over the next five years, according to a new report from ABI Research.
The research company is predicting a hug increase in these devices with shipments of
nearly 95 million units by 2012 likely to make them conspicuous over the next five years.
"What makes this market so
intriguing is that products will assume so many different forms. That
product differentiation will be an integral part of the ultra mobile
device marketing plan," says ABI
Research vice president Stan Schatt.
UMDs
are of two types, Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs), which run Windows and
business applications and are aimed at business users, and Mobile
Internet Devices (MIDs), which target consumers and are more likely to
run a Linux operating system.
The latter, with their lower prices and
wider appeal, will make up by far the majority of the devices shipped.
Apple's iPhone and Nokia's N800 may be seen as precursors of the MID.
Both UMPCs and MIDs will feature multiple wireless connectivity
technologies - Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and cellular - to maintain "any time,
anywhere" Internet connectivity.
This
diversity is also reflected in the range of applications that will be
offered: Web browsing, music, navigation, voice, and data
communications including email and IM, photo/video, and vertical
commercial applications will all be popular. Some new applications,
such as medical monitoring, are now in development as well.
The
research identified several user-types who will find varying
combinations of these applications appealing. These include "Frugal
Generalists", "Lifestyle Boomers", "Soccer Moms", "Gen Y Social
Networkers", and "Multimedia Enthusiasts."
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