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Sharp Exits U.S. PDA Market

Mahwah, N.J. — Sharp said it will exit the PDA market in the United States, and in conjunction with this decision the company has stopped development on the Zaurus SL-6000.

Sharp said it will continue to provide end-users with support for the Zaurus. Sharp, which remains a leader in the Japanese handheld market, said it would also continue to offer the Zaurus in Japan.

Several suppliers have exited the U.S. handheld market in the past two years, including Sony.

Kevin Burden, analyst for IDC, Framingham, Mass, said, “Sharp’s departure from the U.S. handheld device market is not surprising, particularly given the state of the industry today. In recent months, Sony Electronics and Toshiba have withdrawn from the U.S. and European handheld device markets while continuing to develop and sell devices in Japan. Furthermore, over the past two years, both Gateway and JVC announced handheld devices and then cancelled their development before shipment.”

Sharp had a rich history in the market as it launched one of the early PDA-type devices, called the Wizard, in 1989. Sharp said it will continue to provide end-users with support for the Zaurus. Sharp, which remains a leader in the Japanese handheld market, said it would also continue to offer the Zaurus in Japan.

Several suppliers have exited the U.S. handheld market in the past two years, including Sony.

Kevin Burden, analyst for IDC, Framingham, Mass, said, “Sharp’s departure from the U.S. handheld device market is not surprising, particularly given the state of the industry today. In recent months, Sony Electronics and Toshiba have withdrawn from the U.S. and European handheld device markets while continuing to develop and sell devices in Japan. Furthermore, over the past two years, both Gateway and JVC announced handheld devices and then cancelled their development before shipment.”

Sharp had a rich history in the market as it launched one of the early PDA-type devices, called the Wizard, in 1989.

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