The iPhone has made touch interface popular, and many other new devices will release soon with a tablet form-factor, but a pocketable size. The UMPCs that are evolving toward such a form-factor/size are known as Mobile Internet Devices (MID). Many MID devices will launch in Summer/Fall of 2008, although few of those devices will be pocketable. The subsequent generation will have many pocketable options.
The sub-notebook of yesterday is the UMPC clamshell of today and will exist as a cheap portable entry level device of future.
Regarding the device platform, the Intel-Atom will become the platform of choice of all devices running Windows, while ARM-based devices become standard in all non-Windows machines. Watch for the Qulacomm Snapdragon to do well in this space.
Size and Resolution
There is race to miniaturize devices and increase resolution of the screen at the same time. We think this is wrong trend. 1024×600 resolution on a 4.8″ diagonal screen is just not very useful. We will discuss optimal resolution for a given size device, held at a given distance from eyes in the design guidelines section.
Clamshell Devices
UMPC on clamshell form factor evolving as net-book. In our opinion this is expected to be the large growth market.
MID UMPCs will keep getting thinner and smaller to fit in pocket, for now any reasonable device in this space is based on non-Intel Atom (most likely ARM) solution.
