Dell confirmed on Monday that it has struck a deal with China Mobile to release a mobile device in China, but did not release any additional details or reveal exactly what type of device is in the works.
For the past several months, Dell has been rumored to be making its own smartphone. While Dell has remained tight-lipped about its smartphone plans, reports surfaced this week indicating that the computer giant is indeed creating a smartphone through a partnership with China Mobile.
And while Dell has not said that it is working with China Mobile on a smartphone, a Dell spokesperson has confirmed that the two companies are teaming up for a mobile device.
"What Dell is confirming is that we are in mobile product development for China Mobile," Dell spokesman Matt Parretta told Information Week. Parretta added that China Mobile showed off a "proof-of-concept" of the mobile device prototype built by Dell at an event on Monday to unveil China Mobile's new Mobile Market online platform offering music, games and other downloadable applications for mobile phones.
Dell's confirming that it's working on mobile devices with China Mobile comes just after The Wall Street Journal reported that Dell and China Mobile are creating a smartphone dubbed the Mini 3i.
According to a Slash Gear report, the Dell Mini 3i is based on the Chinese-designed Open Mobile System, China Mobile's version of Google Android. Early reports also indicate that the Mini 3i is a rather low-tech device. It is reportedly a 2G GSM handset with only a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity and no Wi-Fi. The most high-tech feature of the Dell Mini 3i is its reported 3.5-inch touch-screen interface.
Dell's official entrance into the crowded smartphone market comes as smartphone sales jumped 27 percent in the second quarter, compared to a year ago, according to a Gartner report. Still, Dell faces a tough battle, competing against the likes of RIM's BlackBerry line, the Apple iPhone and a host of other hot smartphones released this year.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
