The growing popularity of information and Internet appliances was in abundant evidence at Computex Taipei 2000 yesterday.
"Since the PC industry has reached an age of maturity, Internet and communication devices have become new growth industries," said Lu Si-Hsing, director of the Taipei Computer Association (台
"Following this trend, manufacturers have focused more and more on Internet appliances like set-top boxes and Web pads," Lu said.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The growth of Internet appliances is forecast to skyrocket, propelled by the popularity of applications such as MP3, according to market research company International Data Corp.
The research group estimates that the market for Internet appliances was worth US$2.4 billion last year, with sales of 11 million units worldwide.
In 2004, that market's worth is expected to reach US$17.8 billion on sales of 89 million units.
That's good news for Taiwan manufacturers who, according to the Institute for Information Industry, sold US$47 billion in information technology products last year.
Taiwanese ventures into the Internet appliance arena have been led by local notebook manufacturers, including Quanta (
From Web pads to pocket PCs and Web-enabled personal digital assistants, these companies have entered into OEM agreements and developed joint ventures with an eye toward capturing this potentially lucrative market.
But some manufacturers were unwilling to show off their Internet appliances at Computex this week.
According to one manufacturer, the local industry is extremely competitive, and most companies don't want to let competitors know what products they are developing.
He said his company has been showing products privately to buyers who set up interviews beforehand.
Despite the secrecy, some IA products are on show, owing to the fact that most of these products should be out by September, in time for the Christmas shopping season.
This display of products that will hit the market soon illustrates the difference between Computex and other major computer shows. Computex bills itself as the forum to "display technologies that are ready for mass production," while its Web site tells those who are looking for the latest innovations and prototype technologies to "move on to a different forum."
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