A small hand-held computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input or a miniature keyboard and weighing less than 2 pounds is called as a mobile device also known as a handheld device or a handheld computer. A handheld computing device has an operating system which can run various types of application software, known as apps. Majority of the hand held devices are equipped with WI-FI, Bluetooth and GPS capabilities that can allow connections to the Internet and other Bluetooth capable devices such as an automobile or a microphone headset.

Handheld computers are available a variety of form factors, including smart phones on the low end, handheld PDAs, Ultra-Mobile PCs and Tablet PCs.

In a personal digital assistant i.e. PDA, the input and output are often combined into a touch-screen interface. Smart phones and PDAs are popular among the people who wish to use some of the powers of a conventional computer. 

Uses of Handheld devices

Handheld devices are mainly used in mobile field management such as digitizing notes, sending and receiving invoices, asset management, recording signatures, managing parts, and scanning barcodes. Users can also watch television through Internet on mobile devices. 

Industry Overview

According to the reports, Smart phones are anticipated to account for 27% of mobile device shipments in 2014 up from 13% in 2008. The handheld devices market has effectively categorized into two groups namely entry-level and high-end devices; due to which the market for mid-range devices is not in demand and vendors of such devices such as Motorola are suffering.

Mobile Handset Industry Current Trends

As per the reports, the annual sales of low-cost mobile handsets will increase by 22% to over 70 crore between 2009 and 2014. Players such as Nokia are developing content-driven services that will encourage first-time mobile users to keep on using their devices and improving their standards of living.

Major Industry Players

Some of the major Handsets & Device industry players are Samsung, iphone, Nokia, Apple, ZTE, Micromax, Blackberry, LG Electronics, Huawei Device, TCL Communications, and Motorola etc.