Windows Mobile Surging in Euro PDA Market

The European PDA market is showing signs of growth again after a three year lull and Microsoft is gaining market share in the process, according just-released figures from market researchers IDC. The stats are further proof that many sectors of the technology industry emerged from the technology recession during 2003. Preliminary data pegged PDA shipments in Europe at 2.6 million units last year, up 27.5 percent from 2002. The 2003 rise was driven by a particularly strong fourth quarter, which totaled shipments of 958,000 units, a 38 percent increase compared to the year-earlier period. For Microsoft (Quote, Chart), the market figures held even better news. PDAs running Windows Mobile systems software surpassed Palm OS-based devices for the first time.