July/Aug 2005

Convergence between PDAs and smartphones is evident in the small mobile computing market. Already the dividing line in terms of functionality is blurred. Can one device answer all your needs? Sharon Clancy reports

It doesn't seem long since the big debate in the mobile computer handset market was whether PDAs or ruggedised computers were the best solution for mobile workers. This has been fuelled by a convergence of devices and prices; top-end PDAs now compete with low-end ruggedised computers.

Now a third factor has entered the buying equation. If a PDA suits your operation, would the extra flexibility of a smartphone suit it better? A lot of the functionality traditionally associated with PDAs is now available in smartphones. Some analysts are asking if PDAs are in terminal decline.

Sales in 2005 suggest otherwise. According to the latest Gartner research, worldwide PDA shipments will reach 15 million units by the end of 2005. 'Wireless PDAs are increasingly seen as an adjunct or alternative to notebook computers,' says Gartner analyst Todd Kort.

Kort says that PDAs with integrated wireless local area network (LAN) or cellular capabilities accounted just over half of all PDAs sold in the first quarter of 2005, 'This increase is primarily the result of the growing popularity of wireless email, with users favouring larger displays and QWERTY keyboards that are operated with both hands.'

The PDA has become the device of choice for many mobile data implementations. It is cheaper than a rugged handheld computer, very portable, and capable of running business applications. Steve Reynolds, managing director of integrated mobile solution specialist TBS, and vice chairman of the Mobile Data Association, says prices of PDAs have risen as they get more complex, incorporating wireless and email. 'Total cost of ownership, return on investment, user acceptance, IT acceptance and security are key issues, but PDAs are attractive because they offer a versatile platform.'

The drawback with PDAs, of course, is that they are still quite bulky devices to use as a phone. But although this may matter in the consumer market, for business applications it may not be such a significant factor, as O2's success with the XDAII device has proven.

So where do smartphones fit in? According to Nokia, the global smartphone market in 2004 was worth 20 million units. Defining a smartphone, however, is not straightforward. Does, for example, the O2 XDAII device (widely deployed in the courier sector) count as a smartphone or a sleek-looking PDA? It combines voice and data capabilities, so qualifies as a smartphone, but its screen is much larger than typically found on a smartphone.

Then again, as Gartner pointed out, the latest smartphones have swivel tops, which increase the screen area and provide a full QWERTY keyboard, as do clamshell smartphones such as the Nokia 9300.

Gartner and Nokia have independently come up with sets of criteria for PDAs and smartphones respectively (see panel on page 14), and when you look at the two lists, the similarities are more obvious than the differences. It is clear that PDAs with voice capability are encroaching into smartphone territory, while smartphones with data services are pitching up on PDA turf.

Mobile integration specialist LAN 2 LAN believes convergence of the two concepts in a single device is the future. 'Devices are becoming available that will automatically switch between networks based on the best value connection,' says Andy Tipton, mobile project manager. 'This means that remote staff can work cost effectively, depending on their individual requirements. One device can now provide push email and access to all mission-critical applications required.'

Tipton says buyers still need to be aware of issues such as device battery life, durability and form factor, and that control over devices is increasingly important to business, especially for maintaining corporate security.

A lot of the smartphone buzz is generated by mobile operators and media companies getting excited about the potential to sell new services to users - news, sports and games, for example, and rich video. Nokia says that of the 15 million plus Java applications being downloaded to mobile phones on a monthly basis, most are games.

The attraction of smartphones for the nitty gritty of field service operations or deliveries is less clear-cut. There is some cross-over with PDAs, which will attract executives and managers working remotely. Smartphones have PDA-type features such as personal information management, synchronisation to PC, Internet browsing, downloadable applications, messaging (email, SMS, MMS, instant messaging), camera, and even video player and so on. It's easy to see how they could take over many PDA features.

What's next?

There is bound to be more convergence between PDAs and smartphones. Ultimately, the choice of hardware depends more on applications and operational needs than on hardware specification as such. Digital signature capture, for example, requires a minimum screen size, as does satnav that can be used while you're driving. Both PDAs and smartphones are more attractive to thieves than chunky ruggedised handhelds.

Ruggedness will remain an issue. Smartphones may be no less rugged than standard PDAs, but ultra-rugged PDAs are more resilient to coping with life on the road. Rugged smartphones?

The relative clumsiness of a PDA for voice communication has less relevance in the business market where it is often a back-up to data communications.

Smartphones for field service and logistics work would seem to have limited appeal, but as we said earlier, it depends how you define a smartphone. And with all the development going on, it's definitely a case of 'watch this space'.

What is a PDA?

Gartner lists the following criteria for PDAs:

• Data-centric handheld computer weighing less than one pound
• Designed primarily for use with both hands
• Open-market operating system
• Supported by third-party applications that can be added into the device by end users.
• Instant on/off capability and synchronisation of files with a PC
• May offer WAN support for voice, but are data-first, voice-second devicesWhat is a smartphone?

Nokia lists the following criteria for smartphones:

• Based on a commercially-available operating system that enables third parties to develop rich applications for the device
• Wide selection of third-party applications available
• Large, high-quality display and graphical user interface
• Significant internal memory and expandable memory capabilities for storing data and applications on the device
• Rich connectivity capabilities, both local (USB, Bluetooth, WLAN, IrDA) and wide area connectivity (GSM, WCDMA, CDMA)
• Easy data synchronisation and transfer between a PC and the smartphone

Operating systems

A lot of development work is now targeted at smartphones, and competition is especially hot in the race to become the dominant operating system supplier.

Symbian OS, Windows Mobile and Palm OS are the top three. Symbian OS is the market leader; Nokia is investing heavily in its development.

Symbian version 9.0 includes a range of new enterprise functions. These include enhanced filtering and sorting of IMAP email, as well as new group scheduling capabilities.

Remote management has been enhanced, and enterprise managers can now access individual users' phones to deploy new applications or diagnose the problem. Network operators will also be able to do this.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft is also determined to win a significant share of the market with Windows Mobile, which includes any Windows CE-derived platform. According to Gartner, Windows CE accounted for nearly half of the market in PDA operating systems in 2004, with 1.65 million devices sold with it. RIM came second and Palm third.

Microsoft has already scored some success with its Smartphone operating system, winning business with Marks and Spencer and Paul Smith. It admits these phones are being employed by executives, but says there is no reason why these cannot be rolled out to field workers.

Microsoft predicts a shift towards converged devices. It thinks Pocket PC and Smartphone operating systems will become redundant as 'smart connect' devices become more available. As examples, it cites the i-mate JAM as blurring the line between smartphone and Pocket PC form factors. In the same vein, the T-Mobile MDA IV has a swivel QWERTY keyboard, so the device can function as a mini computer.

Network operator Orange has been a long-term partner and has become the first to offer a Windows Mobile phone, the SPV C500.

In May, Microsoft unveiled version 5.0 of its Windows Mobile operating system. It includes support for GPS, 3G mobile phone networks, Wi-Fi for smartphones, hard disk drives, and easier one-handed operation. Dell and Intermec are among makers offering Windows 5.0, and Dell offer upgrades on some of its handsets.

There is enhanced support for Bluetooth with fast USB 2.0 interface and Bluetooth authorisation and end-to-end encryption over a virtual private network. Applications are now loaded into fixed ROM memory not RAM, so should remain intact even if the battery runs down. Pocket Office applications have been rebranded, and are now referred to as Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and so on.

Security has been upgraded with greater protection from malware.

Series 60 is a platform developed by Nokia and licensed to other mobile phone manufacturers including LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo, and Siemens. The platform is built on top of the Symbian operating system, which can be adapted to suit the processor and hardware inside a variety of smartphones.

High-performance browsing

Last October Nokia announced it was teaming up with Intel and Symbian to develop 3G devices which use Intel's Xscale technology. Intel's role will be to provide high performance low-power processing to make possible mobile browsing, content downloading and multimedia messaging.

The importance of applications is now recognised by both the network operators and hardware vendors. Nokia and Vodafone, for example, have joined forces to create an open, unified architecture for Java-based mobile applications. The aim is to define a consistent Java API services architecture, promoting application compatibility across multi-vendor mobile devices. Sun Microsystems, which originated Java, will retain the role of creating and licensing technology compatibility kits (TCKs) for JSR 248 and 249 standards.

Screen size and resolution are among advantages PDAs have over smartphones. However, more pixels per inch are being incorporated into the latest smartphone displays, and enhance quality for digital images such as maps.

Palm appears to be losing out to Symbian and Windows Mobile, and even to Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices, according to the Gartner figures for 2005. However, Palm too has entered the smartphone market with devices such as the Treo 600 and Tungsten C. Like the XDAIIi, however, these could be regarded more as PDAs with voice capability than as true smartphones.

Business trends can also affect decisions on which device to deploy. The Mobile Data Association's Professional Text Messaging Report, for example, found that more and more businesses are adopting SMS as a way of communicating with their customers.

Smartphones with GPS

Some smartphones are beginning to be shipped with a GPS location receiver, which will have a big impact on the satellite navigation market. However, it may not be necessary to go to the extra expense to achieve this result. Dutch company Route 66 has developed a smartphone version of its Mobile Britain 2005 satnav application which uses Bluetooth GPS receiver to connect with the smartphone. The company already makes a version for PDAs.

The map application is held on a multimedia memory card, so theoretically you could swap the satnav application between phones. It runs on Symbian 6.1 or higher, and versions are planned for Symbian UIG and Windows Mobile.