The Genesis of a New Idea

The British firm Psion launched a handheld computer called the Organiser in 1984, resembling a basic calculator equipped with a small keyboard, lacking both a touchscreen and stylus. However, the second version released in 1991 was more akin to what we now recognize as a Personal Digital Assistant, even though the term wasn’t in use yet.

John Sculley, widely credited with coining the phrase “Personal Digital Assistant,” joined Apple as CEO from PepsiCo in 1983. Sculley was optimistic about portable computing, viewing it as a promising new avenue for growth for a company that heavily relied on the Macintosh.

At the 1992 CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Sculley announced a groundbreaking product that would transform computing. This “Personal Digital Assistant,” as he termed it, was envisioned as a powerful handheld computer featuring a stylus and touchscreen capable of handwriting recognition.

Apple had been secretly working on an early PDA prototype called Knowledge Navigator since 1986. Sculley aimed to market this technology under the name “Newton.” Despite the potential, numerous challenges loomed ahead, including flawed software for handwriting recognition and high production costs. Nonetheless, Sculley was determined to launch the product.

When the Newton MessagePad hit the shelves in 1993 at a price of $699, other companies like Casio and Tandy had already released their more affordable PDAs. The competition was fierce, and Apple was quickly falling behind. The company faced significant financial losses, leading to Sculley’s departure from Apple in 1993. The Newton line ultimately faltered, leading to its discontinuation in 1998, orchestrated by Steve Jobs, who had returned to Apple a year prior.

Palm's Winning Strategy

While Apple stumbled with the PDA, the category was just beginning to thrive. PDAs, also known as handhelds, surged in popularity during the late 1990s, initially finding a niche in medical applications where doctors needed quick access to information.

California's Palm Computing (later shortened to Palm) is credited with turning the PDA into a mainstream product. Founded in 1992 by Jeff Hawkins, who had previously designed early PDAs for Casio and Tandy, Palm launched its first device, the PalmPilot, in 1997, setting a benchmark for competitors. The PalmPilot utilized PalmOS, renowned for its user-friendliness, reliability, and longevity. Learning from the shortcomings of the Apple Newton, Palm continuously improved their product, introducing several iterations of the PalmPilot, which became synonymous with coolness among business professionals who would share contact information through a feature called “beaming.”

By 2000, Palm held an impressive market share of nearly 75 percent just three years after the PalmPilot's introduction. However, internal strife and fierce competition began to impact Palm's business. Hawkins, dissatisfied after selling the company to 3Com, left to start Handspring, which produced the Visor, a compatible PDA. Eventually, Handspring merged with Palm in 2003, followed by Palm splitting into hardware and software divisions, only to reunite in 2006.

The Transition from PDAs to Smartphones

As Palm introduced new models, the PDA landscape shifted. Microsoft launched a new mobile operating system, prompting Compaq to release the iPaq, a color touchscreen PDA, in 2000. This marked the beginning of a series of iPaq models that lasted nearly a decade. Both Microsoft Windows Mobile and PalmOS were licensed to other manufacturers, with Dell and Sony entering the market with their own models. Seeking to stay ahead, Palm unveiled its Tungsten series in 2002.

The term “smartphone” gained traction around 1997, but the first device to be widely recognized as a smartphone was the Simon Personal Communicator, released in 1994 by Bell South. Although it integrated PDA functions, it was a commercial failure due to its bulky size and inadequate battery life.

The late 1990s saw a flurry of smartphone introductions from manufacturers like Ericsson, Kyocera, and Nokia. Handspring also entered the fray in 2002 with the Treo, the first smartphone to run PalmOS. That same year, Blackberry emerged, quickly becoming the favored choice for business professionals, signaling the decline of the PDA.

The Smartphone Revolution

The introduction of Apple's iPhone in January 2007 marked a significant turning point, effectively rendering the PDA obsolete. By merging the best features of PDAs and mobile phones into a user-friendly device, the iPhone became an instant sensation. While it was not the first smartphone, its impact was profound, establishing the smartphone as a global phenomenon.

In response to the iPhone's success, Palm announced in late 2008 that it would cease PDA production. In 2009, Palm shifted its focus to smartphones with the introduction of WebOS and the Palm Pre. The following year, Palm was acquired by Hewlett-Packard, which eventually phased out the Palm brand entirely. Now under Chinese ownership, Palm has pivoted to manufacturing wireless earbuds and a compact phone designed to complement larger smartphones.

Today, Apple and Samsung fiercely compete for dominance in the smartphone market, with Apple's iOS facing off against Android devices. Although PDAs have been replaced by smartphones, the foundational technology of the PDA was instrumental in shaping the devices we rely on today.

The first video explores the hidden history of the first smartphone, detailing its evolution and impact on the technology landscape.

This second video provides a brief look at the first touchscreen smartphone, showcasing how it paved the way for modern mobile devices.

Sources

Edwards, Benj. 2018. “The Golden Age of PDAs,” PCMag, Nov. 20, 2018

History Computer. “The Complete History of Apple Newton,” History-Computer.com, Oct. 19, 2021

McCracken, Harry. 2018. “Palm’s progress: The rise, fall — and rebirth — of a legendary brand,” Fast Company, Oct. 15, 2018

Wiggins III, Richard H., M.D. 2004. “Personal Digital Assistants,” National Library of Medicine, Feb. 17, 2004