Dell Smartphone Rumours Resurface

The persistent rumours that computer maker, Dell is preparing to launch a range of mobile phones got another boost when it was reported that the firm could launch its first handsets next month. A report in the Wall Street Journal said that Dell has had a group of engineers working on the phones for more than a year from an office in the Chicago area.

They have produced prototypes built on the Google backed Android operating system and Microsoft's Windows Mobile software, these people said.

One version of the smartphone is said to be a pure touchscreen model, whilst a second handset is reported to be a slider-style phone with a keypad and that slides from beneath the screen

In February 2007, Dell Computers managed to recruit Motorola's President of Mobile Devices, Ron Garriques to head up a new Global Consumer division. At Motorola, Mr Garriques was largely responsible for the launch of the highly popular RAZR range of handsets - although he is understood to be blocked from working on mobile devices until next month due to a non-compete clause in his contract.

Rumours of a Dell smartphone resurrected last month following the publication of an analyst note from Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros.

"The exact timing of Dell's launch is not clear but our sources indicate it is closer to reality than before," wrote Wu, "We believe it is likely inevitable that Dell enter the cellphone space given the cannibalization of PCs by smartphones and highly functional mobile devices."

On the web: Wall Street Journal

Posted to the site on 1st February 2009