In a recent study, embedded systems market analyst Venture Development Corporation reports that although certain segments of the embedded market have been slow to adopt Microsoft's “Windows Embedded” operating systems, the software giant is beginning to gain ground with Windows CE (Pocket PC) in the consumer electronics segment.

VDC's researchers concluded that one of the main factors driving Microsoft's success in the consumer electronics market is the influence of the Microsoft brand. In addition, VDC says a key factor driving Windows CE's acceptance in the handheld computer market is the popularity of non-embedded Windows among corporate IT professionals, and among computer users familiar with Windows on the desktop.

According to VDC, a critical market for Windows CE is in Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) applications. VDC found Microsoft's share in this computing segment to be growing, and estimated that by 2005 the PDA market will account for 55% of all embedded devices shipped with Windows Embedded operating systems.

The title of VDC's new study is Windows NT/NTE/CE/2000: Threats and Opportunities in the Embedded Systems Market. VDC's findings are based on surveys mailed and e-mailed to 13,000 developers of embedded systems, interviews with engineers, product managers and CTOs at leading software vendors and third-party service providers, and extensive secondary research. The study includes a global forecast of unit shipments through 2005, segmented by region and high growth vertical markets/applications.

 
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