Acer Planning to Launch Range of Smartphones

Taiwan based computer firm, Acer - which ranks among the world's top five branded PC vendors, is planning to enter the smartphone market, with their first phones to be shown at this months Mobile World Congress.

The firm's entry in the exhibitor list reads: "Acer recently received worldwide acclaim with the development of the award winning Aspire One, a truly portable netbook built with easy connectivity in mind. Now Acer enters the Smart Handheld market with an exciting range of easy to use devices designed to offer phone capability, simple one hand usability and complete connectivity."

Explaining the reason for moving into the highly competitive mobile phone market, Acer spokesman Wang Tao-hsiung told the Deutsche Press Agency "that some 300 million units of personal computers are sold in the world each year, but there are 1.5 billion cell phones sold in the world each year,"

"Acer wants to tap the middle ground between PCs and cell phones, like mobile internet devices," he added.

Acer employs 5,000 people worldwide. 2007 revenues reached US$14.07 billion.

In a recent trading statement, the firm said that it expects Q408 operating margin to be better or similar to Q308, while consolidated revenue has been impacted by overall market situation, with a negative growth with 5~10% compared to Q407.

In the current worldwide economic situation, even though most of the channels have been more cautious and less willing to carry inventory by year-end, Acer's product demand has remained healthy and stable.

On the web: Acer at the Mobile World Congress

Posted to the site on 1st February 2009