台灣端點銷售系統(POS)廠商對Wintel及AnARM架構競爭策略之研究

Abstract

端點銷售系統(Point of Sale, POS)的發展，到了1990年代開始就漸漸的使用了個人電腦(Personal Computer, PC)，軟硬體幾乎就由微軟公司的作業系統以及英特爾公司的硬體平台所主導著，隨著個人電腦的發展而發展。在POS業界這兩家公司的產品漸漸成為產業的主流也慢慢的成為產業的標準，Wintel (Windows& Intel)這個名詞，於是乎也就成為通俗的說法來說明這個軟硬體架構。 但這些年來因為手持裝置非常流行，處處可見，這個由安卓作業系統(Android)結合安謀公司(ARM)所授權生產的硬體也漸漸跨入了POS產業領域，此種新型態的軟硬體組合也有一個稱謂叫做AnARM (Android & ARM)。 長久以來Wintel架構主宰了POS產業的發展，但現在已有AnARM架構的挑戰者了。台灣的POS硬體製造商，處於全世界POS產業硬體供給者的地位，他們是如何看待這新POS架構的?這AnARM架構會影響Wintel架構在POS產業的地位嗎? 台灣POS硬體製造商，幾乎都只根據技術文件來發展產品，或只接受OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) 代工生產，因此和最終使用者少有接觸，所以本研究的問卷，也把可以接觸到使用者的經銷商包括了進來。 本研究經由AHP層級分析法，建立起層級架構圖，從第二層構面到第三層準則，含蓋了技術面、市場面、供給面等。本研究也做了方案加權評點分析與優先建議方案表問卷的調查表。本研究發現，在POS的應用上安全性構面為最主要的考量，其次是相容性構面，再其次是成本的構面，而功能性的構面則得到最低權重。在方案加權評點分析與優先建議方案表問卷的調查中，Wintel架構為最為優先方案。 問卷調查的對象有硬體製造商以及經銷商，最有趣的發現是經銷商和硬體製造商在成本的看法上有相當大的差別。也發現成本不是最主要的競爭點，而是安全性以及相容性為POS業界最主要考量，所以安卓/安謀架構雖然成本較Wintel產品低，但在POS產業中仍屬小量。 希望本研究可以經由硬體廠商以及經銷商的綜合意見提供台灣POS業者對於Wintel架構以及AnARM架構在POS產業競爭態勢的資訊，對台灣POS廠商未來策略的制定、產品研發，行銷規劃有所助益。In 1990s, PC (Personal Computer) architecture was brought into POS industry, it started a PC era in the POS industry till now. Since then, the Microsoft Inc. and the Intel Inc. lead the software and hardware development like they have done in the PC industry, no surprisingly, they dominate the POS industry. Thereafter there is a common word surface to the market, Wintel, which stands for Windows and Intel. In these years, the handheld device is so popular in everywhere, gradually the structure of the Android OS and the ARM based hardware take a step into the POS industry. The combination of the Android OS and the ARM based hardware is given a common word, AnARM. Wintel structure dominates the POS industry for a long time, however, there is a challenger now. Due to the Taiwanese hardware makers are positioned at the hardware supply chain of the POS industry in the world, therefore the view of the Taiwanese maker toward to the AnARM and the Wintel structures is vital to the industry development. In the fact that Taiwanese hardware makers develop products conventionally follow up the technical documents or taking orders from OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) business partners, thus the contacts with ended-users are few. To seek an extent scope of the view, the candidates of questionnaire survey of the study would include the reseller which aim to give another perspective than the maker’s view toward to the structures competition. The study is worked by the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method to develop the second facet layer and the third guideline layer of the AHP structure which is contented all aspects of the POS industry such as technology, market and supply chain, etc. The study is also worked with another opinion survey, The Solution of Weighted Point Analyze and Prior Suggestion. The AHP survey’s results suggest the highest weighted point is given to the safety facet, the second highest weighted point is given to compatibility facet, and the third highest weighted point is given to cost facet and the least weighted point is given to the functionality facet. As to the result of the opinion survey of The Solution Weighted Point Analyze and Prior Suggestion, suggests that the Wintel solution is the prior suggestion than AnARM solution. The candidates of opinion surveys of the AHP and The Solution Weighted Point Analyze and Prior Suggestion are divided into two categories, one is the hardware maker and another is reseller. The most interested finding is that the cost facet exists a big gap between the two categories of the candidates. The results show the competition isn’t mainly focus on the facet of cost but the facets of safety and compatibility. And this could be the reason of that although the AnARM structure enjoys the advantage of the cost than Wintel one, but it is still at small portion in the POS industry. Hoping the study can provide a comprehensive view which is useful to companies’ strategies, product developments and marketing planning to the Taiwanese POS business player for the strategies between the Wintel and AnARM structures.

Keywords: POS, Wintel, AnARM, AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process)