According to TelecomTV, 3G is unlikely to take off this year even if prices fall below the $200 mark � a price point championed and cited by Qualcomm and others as the tipping point for popular uptake of the technology. This is the stark warning from Ron Garriques, the president of mobile devices at Motorola. Mr. Garriques says, "People continue to say if you could only hit a certain price point things could take off and fly. But I say low prices alone are not enough to make the market take off in the second half of this year." Mr. Garriques said 3G handsets must become simpler and lighter before mass acceptance will kick in. "I believe that size, weight, battery life, compelling applications and design are just as important as price points," he said, suggesting most subscribers are actually already very satisfied with 2G and 2.5G services. Motorola intends to sell a 3G version of its slim RAZR handset in the fourth quarter this year.
The personal computing device market continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience despite recent fluctuations. According to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), global PC shipments are projected to reach 273 million units in 2025—a modest but significant 3.7 percent increase over the previous year. This growth reflects the market's adaptation to post-pandemic realities and evolving technology needs across the globe. Personal Computing Market Development While COVID-19 initially triggered unprecedented demand for computing devices during the shift to remote work and online education, we now see a more measured growth pattern. IDC has slightly adjusted its projections downward, indicating a market growing steadily rather than explosively. "In light of so many challenges around the world, Japan is a much-needed source of double-digit growth this year. Enterprises there as well as SMBs have been quickly replacing PCs in advance of the Window...