Microsoft Overtakes Palm In The Handheld Market

Slashdot reports via Business Week that Microsoft has completely eliminated Palm from the number one spot in handheld operating systems. After years of being the preimminent player in a market it made financially viable, Palm essentially abdicated the entire market to Microsoft, deciding to instead focus on smartphones. Despite having the lead mere months ago, third quarter sales put Microsoft in the lead with 48.1% of the market, while Palm trailed at 29.8%. Just a year ago, Palm led 46.9% to 41.2%. In third place is RIM/Blackberry with 19.8%. It appears that rather than Microsoft crushing Palm, Palm simply gave up, and RIM and MS divided the spoils. As the market settles, expect RIM to hold second place, but not pull close enough to overtake Microsoft.