Marketing case: Palm

Résumé du document

As consumers' needs changed, Palm responded by developing new products to meet their needs. The users required personalization (changeable faceplates), better screen contrast and longer battery life. As many of them were users of PCs and internet, the product was built in with the wireless connectivity, and USB connectivity. Many users were using the product at their work places, so new applications and add-ons could be added to make it a reliable and improvable for people doing business (schedule management, financial management). In comparison to Windows CE, the main difference with the PalmPilot is that the Palm is not positioned between PDAs and PCs. Indeed, it is cheaper, consumes less power and good processing speed. In addition, it is possible for consumers to personalize the design of the PalmPilot, and improve its capacities with adding new applications that can make it more functional for their purpose.

Extraits

[...] The target market is rather well educated and use frequently personal computers, and are used to surf on the internet. As they want to use the PalmPilot daily, and carry it everywhere, the users set value upon the simplicity, the handiness of the product, and also take care of the fact it includes PC connectivity. Question Changes required by consumers As consumers' needs changed, Palm responded by developing new products to meet their needs. The users required personalization (changeable faceplates), better screen contrast and longer battery life. [...]

[...] Hawkins says he used his own experience to design the first PalmPilot (GriDPad and Graffiti). The product had to be thin and was to be used with a pen and handwriting recognition; the design philosophy was it must be simple, small and connected. Development: the R&D step was simple, as Hawkins had the idea of carrying a PalmPilot and observing the reactions of people who saw him take it out his pocket. He tried then several variations before settling on the final one, who had only four buttons. [...]

[...] However, the PalmPilot is threatened by other digital technologies like PIM or some mobile phones, which propose the same functions. size of market : rating : * * * * When the Palm was launched, there was no market because the products had too many features and were too expensive. But today, this problem is solved and the handheld computers are very popular. product quality : * * * * * The first PalmPilot had few functions, but those functions were the most frequently used functions. Then, the PalmPilot was the first PDA, which included PC connectivity. [...]

[...] Concerning the market, a decrease of has been registered over the year 2004. On the other hand, it had a growth of in the third quarter 2004. Competitive market structure The competitive market structure is a monopolistic competition. Indeed there are many sellers (for example PalmOne, HP, Sony, Dell, Symbol Technologies . ) trading in differentiated products (PDAs with expanded memory, colour display, Internet access . There arises a range of acceptable prices (between 99 and which must be justified through differentiation. [...]

[...] market timing : rating : * * * * * The PalmPilot has ever been the market leader. access to consumers : rating : * * * * * The customers of PalmPilot use a personal computer. That's why the PalmPilot's products are sold in computer's stores. Question Market research Competition PDA's market counts a lot of competitors more or less significant. Apart from PalmOne (new name of Palm, Inc. since the division between the terminal constructor and the operating system producer), the mains are Samsung, Sony, Kyocera, HP, Toshiba, Asus, Dell, RIM, Nokia, Research in Motion or Symbol Technologies. [...]