MarketMaps' assessment of opportunities for information technology products and services in mobile markets concentrates on business use of portable PCs, handheld devices and associated services, with a focus on the individual. Founder Bill Ablondi directed a ground-breaking market segmentation study of Mobile Professionals in the mid-90's for BIS Strategic Decisions and is now building on that experience with a variety of innovative research, analysis and forecasting initiatives.

Once the province of corporate executives and mobile entrepreneurs, portable PCs and, more recently, smart handheld devices are becoming standard fixtures throughout the workforce. In this rapidly changing arena - driven by technology advancements opening up new applications, enhanced price/performance making products more affordable and intense competition - MarketMaps provides clients the research, analysis and forecasts they need to capitalize on the opportunities while avoiding the pitfalls.

Small and medium businesses will fuel near-term growth of portable PCs as will college students who are being enticed by low prices, wired campuses, portability and their schools. In addition, households with more than one PC are currently more that four times as likely to be considering a portable than single-PC households. On the horizon are markets such as K-12 schools, retirees who want to go online from wherever they are and mainstream consumers.

Each market is comprised of several segments each with its own preferences, desired benefits and needs. Helping clients develop solutions designed to recognize and take advantage of these distinctions, thereby creating differentiation through adding value is our goal. MarketMaps in association with Stratford Associates, a marketing research and decision modeling consultancy, brings the experience and the tools to guide marketers to their targets.

Research

MarketMaps is developing a mobile user online panel for a leading worldwide IT research and consulting firm. A 3Q99 announcement of the offering is planned. Please check back if you don't hear from us first about the unique capability this resource will bring to our clients.

Analysis

To date MarketMaps analysis of opportunities in mobile markets have been confined to private client projects including:

• Concepts for a "Next Generation" portable PC
• Assessment of major participants' strategic directions in the mobile marketplace
• Participation in a Delphi panel of experts developing scenarios for "Mobile Computing in the Next Decade."

*** Coming Soon! *** Mobile Computing & Communications - The Convergence of Business & Personal Use A syndicated analysis of how professionals are using their portable devices and the impact this convergence of use will have on opportunities created by emerging mobile computing and communications technologies.

Forecasting

MarketMaps takes its forecasting seriously using a rigorous, stepwise approach to develop its projections to provide strategic planning and product marketing teams with rational scenarios of market size and growth over time.

• Monitor current incidence, use patterns and demand levels for existing products and services or ones that a new offering may replace - if appropriate
• Profile adoption by user segment as basis of demand forecasts
• Evaluate impact of market dynamics on alternative scenarios
• Cross-check scenarios with customer, vendor and channel interviews

• Adoption of mobile Internet access devices
• Potential impact of Windows CE devices on portable PCs
• Consumer market for portable PCs