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Palm Zire Was Best-Selling Holiday Handheld According to The NPD Group
URL(s): Palm Zire NPD group
MILPITAS, Calif. -- Feb. 6 -- According to
market-information company The NPD Group, the Palm(TM) Zire(TM) handheld was
the best-selling PDA in U.S. channels during the fourth quarter of 2002
-- accounting for 13 percent of unit sales. The NPD Group data also confirmed
the Palm Zire handheld had the highest sales figures during its first three
months after introduction of any handheld tracked by the market-information
company. The NPD Group reported that during the quarter more than 228,000 Palm
Zire handhelds were sold. Additionally, the five top-selling handhelds during
the quarter all were Palm branded products -- accounting for 46 percent of all
units sold.
Palm Solutions Group also said that registration data indicates more than
90 percent of consumers who bought Zire handhelds are new handheld purchasers
-- exactly the customer set Palm intended. Palm believes that many of the Zire
buyers of today will become purchases of higher-performance Palm handhelds in
the future.
The Palm Zire handheld, which was introduced Oct. 7, 2002, is the most
affordable and lightest-weight Palm branded handheld to date. With an
estimated U.S. street price of $99, the Palm Zire handheld target buyer is the
first-time purchaser who needs an affordable way to organize a busy life.
Named as a best product of 2002 by BusinessWeek, PC Magazine and others, the
Zire handheld helps students, families and individuals in business meet the
demands of juggling endless events and other activities.
"Growing the handheld space with fresh products that target new customers
is infusing new energy in the PDA category," said Ken Wirt, senior vice
president of marketing and product management for Palm Solutions Group. "The
NPD Group data is an indispensable tool that ensures that we have the best
market intelligence to react rapidly to changes in the marketplace."
While the handheld space is still a nascent market, Palm research shows
that in the United States alone there are more than 63 million individuals
interested in purchasing handheld devices.(1)
Palm Zire Handheld Led European Sales
According to GfK's latest analysis (October/November 2002), all five
top-selling handhelds in Europe are Palm branded devices. The Palm Zire
handheld, introduced on Oct. 8, led with more than 12 percent of the market.
The Palm family of handhelds led with 44 percent of the market, up 6 points
vs. August/September.(2)
Palm Zire Handheld Features and Benefits
The Palm Zire handheld is an easy way for consumers to carry the
information they need, anywhere they go. The Zire handheld is an elegant and
sleek device -- the lightest-weight Palm handheld on the market at 3.8 ounces.
The distinctive, polished white face and silver back lends a visual simplicity
and elegance. The new two-button design focuses on what matters to first-time
users -- Address Book and Date Book -- while providing an engaging look and
feel. Palm's famous, easy-to-use personal information applications allow users
to quickly keep track of important information. Recurring appointments need
only be input once. Helpful reminder alarms alert users to meetings or
appointments.
The Palm Zire handheld can store approximately 6,000 addresses, 5 years of
appointments (approximately 3,000 entries), and more. Zire handheld users can
expand the functionality by choosing from 16,000 commercially available
applications, from business software to puzzles and games to personal
productivity software (http://www.palm.com/zire). Zire handhelds also come with four
interactive games: Puzzle, Minehunt, Giraffe and Hardball.
"The introduction of the original Pilot handheld from Palm in 1996 ignited
a revolution around the world. And now, the simplicity, tiny size, low price
and long battery life of the Palm Zire handheld continues to fuel that
revolution, leading to rapid adoption of the device and extending the Palm
brand as the trusted choice for handheld computing," said Wirt.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group, Inc. (NPD) is a global market information company that
measures product movement and consumer behavior across a broad range of
industries -- apparel, automotive products, consumer electronics, cosmetics
and fragrances, food, foodservice, footwear, housewares, information
technology, interactive entertainment, toys and music. NPD's clients, many in
the Fortune 500, use this insight to uncover market opportunities, strengthen
channel relationships and benchmark industry performance. Since 1967, NPD has
introduced numerous industry firsts, most recently combining and calibrating
information from consumer panels and point-of-sale tracking via its flagship
services, the NPD Worlds. The firm has offices and affiliations in 60
countries. For more information on The NPD Group, visit http://www.npd.com .
About Palm, Inc.
With shipment of more than 20 million Palm handheld computers, many
carried in pockets, purses and briefcases around the world, Palm delivers
devices that make it easy for people to use and keep track of what matters to
them.
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