PDA and smartphone: about to merge

The market of PDA devices, which are capable of transmitting data directly from the store via the Internet, has been standing still for quite a while. Neither Microsoft nor Symbian came out with user-friendly and reliable mobile systems. Several market players quit the segment, but the appearance of smartphones changed everything. Will these devices take the place of PDAs? Romulus Steinbinder, managing director of Synergon Retail Systems Kft. told our magazine that phone manufacturers had been building PDA features into smartphones and PDA manufacturers also include telephone features in their devices. Slowly traditional PDAs will merge with telephone functions, but in his opinion Industrial PDAs (mobile terminals) will remain.

Attila Geyer from PrestonPartner FMCG Consulting is of the opinion that smartphones already reduced PDA devices to navigation and target application functions. With iPhone and Android devices, the software capacity of smartphones opened a new horizon. Synergon Retail Sytems already has a solution where the central system sends the sales and procurement data to the concerned people every day. Procurement personnel can receive on-line data during negotiations with their smartphones. Using these devices reduces paper-based administration and speeds up work processes. With the right software and a good server the whole logistics process can be controlled this way. IT devices can also be used in storing and ordering. Stocks can be checked and sales can be monitored easily by using mobile devices. PrestonPartner’s system is capable of transmitting orders to the central logistics system from sales people. At the 2010 Cebit trade fair several prestigious manufacturers were present. PDA devices are capable of helping in-store work, but software, data base and the background support are even more important. At the moment, Windows Mobile-based devices with so-called RF pens are the most popular, these cost from HUF 40,000-50,000 to HUF 70,000-100,000. Above this price level starts the next category, Android- and iPhone OS-based systems.

MOBISOL Magyarország Kft. develops programmes that run on both PDA devices and barcode-scanning data collectors; Magdolna Farkas opines that today it is really difficult to differentiate between smartphones and PDA devices. Devices have started to merge in terms of functionality and usage. According to her, as communication is crucially important on the FMCG market, smartphones might be the winners in this sector. PDA systems start to focus on data and information collection; these devices can also work as mobile CRM systems.