Sharp comments on its US Linux PDA plans

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Nov. 02, 2004

In response to recent reports that it has discontinued selling Linux-based PDAs in the US, Sharp issued a brief statement to LinuxDevices.com today, commenting on its intentions relative to offering and supporting Linux PDAs in the US market.

"Sharp Electronics Corporation does not plan to develop a successor model of the current SL-6000 Zaurus in the immediate future. Sharp will make the Zaurus SL-6000 available to existing corporate customers in the U.S. for as long as their needs dictate," a Sharp spokesperson said.

"Sharp will continue to pursue solutions businesses leveraging our IT products such as handheld devices, LCD monitors, POS products, etc., and remains committed to developing PDA models with unique user benefits in relevant markets, including the US, as market opportunities develop," the spokesperson added.

Sharp shipped its newest US Zaurus, the SL-6000, less than a year ago.

Sharp has mainly focused its Zaurus Linux PDA line on Japan, where it expects to ship its hard-drive equipped SL-C3000 on November 10th. Likewise, the clamshell C-860 and C-760 are only officially available in Japan, although some companies do sell internationalized versions in the US market and elsewhere.

The SL-6000 received largely favorable reviews from O'Reilly, PDA Buyer's Guide, BargainPDA, and others. The SL-6000 supports wireless networking to both LANs and mobile phone networks, a feature that, in combination with IBM middleware, aimed to give mobile workers access to corporate data from most anywhere.

Market research has long suggested that unconnected PDAs are in decline, while smartphones -- devices combining PDA and mobile phone features -- are slated for rapid growth. Additionally, market analyst Gartner reported that Linux PDA shipments had fallen off in the first quarter of 2004, compared to the first quarter of 2003.

On the other hand, embedded Linux is increasingly the OS of choice in high-end mobile phones, as indicated by recent announcements from Motorola, E28, and Wildseed, with several set to arrive in the US within the next six months.

US embedded Linux enthusiasts will likely continue to find ways to purchase the latest Sharp Zaurus PDAs. The Zaurus and its Qtopia-based Linux environment launched a cottage industry of commercial and free third-party applications.

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