PDA Phones to Dominate Wireless Internet

`Are you still using Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and mobile phones separately?`

`PDA phones`, which have PDA and mobile phone functions together, are being growingly popular.

The reason is due to the fact that one PDA phone enables users to use PDA and mobile phone at the same time, and besides, Internet can be used on a bigger screen than that of a mobile phone while traveling.

As competitions are gaining heat among the mobile phone business enterprises, the original prices of over 1 million won have fallen down to 200,000 – 300,000 won. New services like Global Positioning System (GPS) and wireless access to PCs keep being introduced to hold consumers’ attention.

Most of the PDA phones in the market are `CDMA2000 1x` mode, which has the maximum speed of 144 kbps. However, 3rd generation `EV-DO` mode (maximum speed of 2.4Mbps) devices will be introduced from the second half of the year through SK Telecom and KTF.

A domestic enterprise Cesscom’s Luxian phones provide not only mobile phone and wireless Internet functions, but also MP3 player function. `016.018` member devices can be bought at the price between 200,000 won and 300,000 won with the mobile phone card discount methods. In July, new `EV-DO` mode products that support color screens will come out.

Cyberbank’s PC-Ephones have a unique design that phone can be used without earphones. `011, 016, 019` devices that support data transfer at 64kbps are currently in the market. The price is from 700,000 to 800,000 won. Compaq’s iPAQ needs separate equipments called `i-KIT` to use as mobile phone. Total purchase price is between 750,000 and 890,000 won.

Samsung’s Nexio is as powerful as common laptop PCs. Product price is near 1 million won, and expansions can be connected to be used as a digital camera or a GPS device.

Cesscom’s director Hwang Jun-Ho predicted, “When mobile phone producers’ EV-DO service become common and wireless Internet service for PDA activates, PDA phones will become as common as mobile phones.”

Tae-Han Kim freewill@donga.com