Mobile phone sales could top 300,000 units over the Christmas period, according to Mr Stephen Mackarel, managing director of Carphone Warehouse Ireland.
He said analysts' forecasts of between 250,000 and 270,000 mobile phones may be conservative. Sales at Carphone Warehouse were already 15 per cent above anticipated levels, he added.
Mr Mackarel was speaking at the introduction of an alliance with Microsoft that will see Windows-powered Pocket PCs sold in Carphone Warehouse's outlets throughout the Republic.
The Pocket PC will compete directly with existing personal digital assistant (PDA) devices supplied by companies such as 3Com and Psion. Some 1,000 PDAs will be sold over Christmas at Carphone Warehouse, said Mr Mackarel.
Based on Microsoft's Windows operating system, the Pocket PC, enables users to listen to MP3 files, read e-books and browse the Internet using Pocket Internet Explorer.
Versions of the PC are designed by Compaq, Casio and Hewlett-Packard, and have different features:
Compaq IPAQ: retails at £669 (€850) and offers Internet connection at speeds of 260 Mhz.
Hewlett-Packard: retails at $469 and offers Internet wireless connection at 133 Mhz.
Casio GM 500 retails at £499 and offers Internet wireless connection at 150 Mhz.
