Palm PDAs to use Samsung components

SEOUL: South Korea's Samsung SDI, the world's top television and computer

display maker, said on Monday it had agreed with Palm Inc to provide components

for personal digital assistants (PDAs).

"We signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US handheld

computer maker to become a preferred supplier of parts such as rechargeable

batteries and touch panels," Samsung said in a statement.

Samsung SDI had provided two million-STN-LCDs to Palm last year and has been

in talks to supply its plastic touch panels for 3.8 inch PDAs and secondary

batteries, the company said. Palm has an estimated 70 percent of the global PDA

market. PDA is an electronic handheld information device with advanced functions

such as wireless Internet connection, mobile phone and the ability to send and

receive e-mail.

Dataquest estimated the global PDA market to reach $384 million this year,

$771 million next year and $1.3 billion in 2003. Samsung SDI shares were down

100 won ($0.775) at 62,000 won at 0000 GMT.

(C) Reuters Limited 2001.