Dell has officially announced that it is entering the smartphone market through collaboration with China Mobile.
For now the PC manufacturer is solely focusing on the Chinese market and the Mini 3i smartphone, which runs on Google’s Android operating system, is still only a ‘proof-of-concept prototype’.
Previously Dell founder Michael Dell has gone on record stating that the company would never enter the mobile business but this was before the days of the smartphone, netbook and runaway success of Apple’s iPhone, which is more about being a miniscule powerful device than a mobile phone.
Last year Dell joined the Google-initiated Open Handset Alliance, which partnered it not only with China Mobile and Android but also with T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm and Motorola.
According to Business Week, former Motorola CEO Ed Zander, said of the China-only Dell Mini 3i smartphone: “They should be able to sell five million units with they’re [sic] eyes closed.”
