Mobile Computer Market by Device Type (Key-based, Full-touch PDA-based, Rugged Tablet, and Software), Portability Type (Handheld, Wearable, Vehicle Mounted Computer), and End-use Industry (Retail, Warehouse, E-Commerce) - Global Forecast to 2029

The Mobile Computer Market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.4% from 2022 to 2029 and reach USD 3.3 billion by 2029. Rugged mobile computers are constructed to withstand the toughest conditions. With a lightweight and compact design, these durable devices are suitable for a range of demanding applications and usage environments, thus, making them an ideal solution for warehouse management, transportation, field mobility, retail, logistics, manufacturing, e-commerce, and healthcare applications.

The growth of the mobile computers market is primarily driven by factors such as the rising need to eliminate manual data capture and entry errors, growing government initiatives for the use of AIDC technology, and growing demand for mobile computers in the warehouses and distribution centers. However, security concerns related to the data captured by mobile computers is the major concern of the end-use industries. On the other hand, the COVID-19 has influenced the diversified inclusion of mobile computers in the healthcare sector, thus, offering opportunities for the market stakeholders. However, reliable network connectivity is the major challenge reducing the industry growth in the under-developed regions of the world.  

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mobile Computer Market

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Wuhan, China, in the last quarter of 2019. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the WHO as the virus spread across many countries, adversely impacting the global economy. The spread of COVID-19 had an unprecedented impact on various sectors. Most industries struggled due to disrupted supply chains, workforce scarcity, and employee safety challenges.

The spread of COVID-19 compelled governments to impose strict lockdowns leading to the suspension of all business operations, including manufacturing and processing. Employee safety became enterprises’ primary concern. The mobile computers industry suffered considerable losses in the first quarter of 2020 (1Q20) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the leading players witnessing a massive decline in net sales. For instance, Zebra Technologies Corporation, a global leader in enterprise asset intelligence, designing and marketing specialty printers, mobile computing, data capture, RFID products, and RTLS, registered a decrease of USD 14 million (1.3%) in its net sales in the first quarter of 2020. Similarly, DENSO Corporation, the world’s second-largest mobility supplier, registered a revenue decrease of 3.9% for its fiscal year 2019–2020 (ending March 31, 2020) compared to the previous year, mainly due to a decline in vehicle production. However, considerable growth in the second quarter boosted revenue generation, minimizing the pandemic’s impact on the mobile computers market by the end of 2020.

Government and private sector organizations started undertaking initiatives to keep people safe and combat the spread of COVID-19. In times of lockdown, the end-use industries, such as e-commerce, have experienced high demand. Shopping options like next-day home delivery, click & collect, and curbside pickup has rapidly accelerated. To fulfill the high demand, the many end-use industries have adopted mobile computers to keep up with demand.

With the high demand from the e-commerce sector, peripheral industries such as warehouses and logistics have also experienced growth. To keep their premise safe and secure, there was a growing demand for mobile computers from the warehouse and logistics sectors. In July 2021, Honeywell announced CT45 and CT45XP rugged enterprise mobile devices designed for workers who pick, pack, sort, and deliver e-commerce orders.

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Rising Need To Eliminate Manual Data Capture and Entry Errors

Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) is a broad category of technologies used in mobile computers to collect information from an individual, object, image, or sound without manual data entry. Mobile computers manage inventory, delivery, assets, security, and documents.

Data is vital for any modern organization and is of utmost importance as it is used for framing key strategic decisions. In an article published by Experian plc, 83% of businesses perceive data as an integral component for formulating successful business strategies. Any errors in data capture and entry can lead to incorrect outcomes resulting in poor decision making, causing additional errors and a surge in expenditure. AIDC technologies installed in mobile computers provide a reliable means to identify and track items. It is possible to encode a wide range of information, from basic item or person identification to comprehensive details about the item or person.

In end-use industries such as healthcare, mobile computers are growing due to the benefits it offers to the end-users. Healthcare-grade mobile computers help to keep the patient and hospital staff safe in times such as COVID-19. Moreover, the food & beverage industry has also seen growing demand for mobile computers, considering their compact structure, portability, small footprint, and easy installations.

Key Findings in the Mobile Computers Market Study:

In 2022, the Full-touch PDA-based Mobile Computers Segment is Expected to Dominate the Market

Based on device type, in 2022, the full-touch PDA-based mobile computers segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the mobile computers market. The large market share of this segment is driven by the growing adoption of mobile computers by the end-use industries due to the benefits such as more screen space for the same overall mobile computer size and has greater ability to customize or add keyboards.

In 2022, the Handheld Computers Segment is Expected to Account for the Largest Share of the Market

Based on portability type, the handheld computers segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the market in 2022. During COVID-19, non-contact temperature assessment devices were in high demand from the end-use industries such as retail, healthcare, transportation, and banking & finance. Thus, there was a sudden surge in handheld mobile computers across the globe. Further, the segment is expected to show the fastest growth rate during the forecast period due to its benefits such as on-the-go data entry, smaller device size, and a touchscreen that makes the whole data entry procedure easier and error-free.

In 2022, the Warehouse & Logistics Segment is Expected to Account for the Largest Market Share

Based on end-use industry, the warehouse & logistics segment is expected to account for the largest market share in 2022. The high requirement for data entry in the warehouse & logistics industry is the major reason for the largest share of this segment. The use of mobile computers in the warehouses helps to automatically verify shipments against purchase orders, ensure accurate picking and put away, initiate replenishment orders based on real-time shelf inventory scans, and validate orders as they are being picked and packed.

However, the healthcare segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the healthcare industry's demand for healthcare-grade mobile computers. In the healthcare industry, mobile computers are helpful in keeping the device infectant-free to keep the hospital facility hygienic and safe in contact with the patients.

In 2022, Asia-Pacific to account for the largest share of the market

Based on geography, Asia-Pacific is projected to account for the largest share of the mobile computer market in 2022. The high market growth of this segment is attributed to the increased adoption rate from the regional end-use industries. Sectors such as healthcare, banking & finance, manufacturing, retail, and e-commerce have adopted mobile computers to improve work efficiency during the pandemic.

Key Players

The report includes a competitive landscape based on an extensive assessment of the key strategic developments of the leading mobile computers market over the last few years. The key players operating in the mobile computers market include Newland EMEA (Netherlands), Zebra Technologies Corporation (U.S.), Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.), Datalogic S.P.A. (Italy), Bluebird Inc. (South Korea), Opticon Sensors Europe B.V. (Netherlands), Winmate, Inc. (Taiwan), JLT Mobile Contacts (Sweden), Wasp Barcode Technologies (U.S.), Keyence Corporation of America (U.S.), Transition Products Inc. (U.S.), Handheld Group (Sweden), Comark (U.S.), Advantech Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), and Denso ADC (U.S.).

Scope of the Report:

Mobile Computer Market, by Device Type

• Key-based Mobile Computers
• Full-touch PDA-based Mobile Computers
• Rugged Tablets
• Software

Mobile Computer Market, by Portability Type

• Handheld Computers
• Wearable Computers
• Vehicle Mounted Computers

Mobile Computer Market, by End-use Industry

• Transportation
• Manufacturing
• Banking & Finance
• Retail
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Warehouse & Logistics
• E-Commerce
• Other End-use Industries (Government, Hospitality, Fleet Management, and Food & Beverage

Mobile Computer Market, by Geography

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • U.K.
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Indonesia
  • Singapore
  • Vietnam
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
  • Mexico
  • Brazil
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa

Key Questions Answered in the Report: