Foxconn Gives Birth To Android Team But Who’s The Daddy?

According to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN), Foxconn sources have confirmed that the company has formed an R&D team to develop Android-based smartphones. On the one hand this does seem to be confirmation of speculation regarding Foxconn's deal to develop smartphones for Dell. The report however claims that Motorola is likely to be a potential first client for Foxconn's Android-powered phones. So who's it going to be then – Motorola or Dell? In the long run, most likely both given Foxconn's history as one of the world's largest handset manufacturing service providers.

Source: DigiTimes

Dell Still Confident About A Smartphone Release

In case you hadn't already noticed, Dell seems to be getting a serious lambasting over news that its smartphone attempts have been slated for lacking differentiation and being too "Dell-like". Despite this, Dell CEO Michael Dell reckons that the company will not delay the launch of its new smartphone lineup and is on schedule to release devices in line with its internal roadmap.

Of course we are still no closer to knowing whether or not Dell's first release will be an Android phone. Interestingly, China's Commercial Times claims that Dell has outsourced its smartphone development to Foxconn Electronics – the same company that produces the iPhone for Apple so there should be no excuses for poor design or build quality. Come on Dell, give us something to get excited about.

Source: DigiTimes

Dell's Smartphone Plans Go Back To The Drawing Board

Early last month rumours began to surface of a possible entry into the smartphone market by Dell. We know that Dell hired former Motorola boss, Ron Garriques, and according to analysts the company had even gone so far as to develop prototypes running both Windows Mobile and Android. With that in mind there were high hopes for some kind of announcement at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As we know, that was a no-show but things seemed to have gotten even worse for Dell as far as phones are concerned.

According to a Kaufman Bros. analyst, Dell's first phone attempts have been rejected by network operators for being too "Dell-like" and lacking differentation. On the one hand this doesn't really surprise me but on the other, I think that the operators are being a bit shortsighted. I personally have never considered Dell to be cutting edge or great at innovation/differentiation. I buy Dell not because I want the world's thinnest laptop. I buy their kit because it is decently spec'd and good value for money. Surely the same applies in the phone market? Isn't there an opportunity for relatively low cost 'value' phones?

The operators certainly don't seem to think so or if they do, aren't willing to risk it, and Dell has been forced to rethink it's plans. According to the analyst report, Dell is "going back to the drawing board is designing a cell phone with more differentiation," that will "likely involve vertical integration of some sort including software and/or services." I personally would have liked to have seen a low cost, preferrably unlocked, Android phone from Dell but it looks like that will never happen.

Via: mocoNews

Dell Building Prototype Android Phone?

Could Dell finally be getting into the phone market? According to the Wall Street Journal, the answer is yes. Sources say that engineeers have been working on phones for more than a year and produced prototypes running Google Android and Windows Mobile. The big question of course is which OS they'll choose and just when are we going to get some confirmation. Could Dell be lining up a big launch at this month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona? We'll just have to wait and see.

Via: Wall Street Journal