Report: Dell To Bring Android Smartphone To U.S.
Dell plans on bringing a smartphone running Google's Android operating system to the U.S., The Wall Street Journal reported. The smartphone will be built with a touch screen and a camera and will run on AT&T's network, according to the report.
In some ways the move isn't surprising at all. Dell in August confirmed that it was entering the smartphone market -- in China. The Dell Mini 3i is a 3.5-inch touch-screen device that runs on the 2G GSM network and features Bluetooth connectivity and a 3.2-megapixel camera.
Competing in the smartphone market in the U.S. is becoming increasingly difficult as more and more vendors jump into the fray. In addition to battling established giants like Apple's iPhone and Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices, Dell will have to compete with smaller players, all of which already have a head start on the Round Rock, Texas-based vendor.
Not even bringing an Android phone to market is enough of a differentiator these days. Acer has had a long-rumored smartphone with Google's OS in development. Google and Verizon Wireless on Tuesday lifted the curtain on a partnership that will increase the number of Android-equipped smartphones on the market.
A Dell spokesperson declined to comment on specifics of a forthcoming device, instead simply noting that the vendor is focused on mobility.