Acer A1 Android Coming November Says DigiTimes
In an article discussing competition between Acer And Asustek, DigiTimes sheds some light on the launch date of the first Acer Android Phone which is rumored to be called the A1, saying it will launch in November. DigiTimes has a hit-or-miss record with rumore but the November timing provided by their source would certainly fall into the frame of what Acer officials themselves have announded – 4th Quarter 2009 launch.
Acer is expected to launch 9 smartphones in 2009, one of them being the Acer A1. Considering Acer has already unveiled phones this year called the F1 and L1 I would not be surprised in the least if the Acer A1 name is accurate – it follows the naming convention and gives an “A for Android” branding.
The article also contrasts the success and growth of Acer’s mobile strategy to that of Asustek. Apparently Asustek approached the adoption of 3G improperly and was forced to partner up with a 3rd party – Garmin – to form Garmin-ASUS. The Garmin-ASUS Nuvifones have faced delays and the outlook hasn’t been too rosey. Meanwhile, Acer aquired E-Ten information systems which has panned out much better. Analysts are suggesting Acer could overtake Asustek in smartphone marketshare this year.
If they do it with Android phones, I’m all for it! Garmin-ASUS also has an Android Phone on the way but the way things are going, it doesn’t seem like it will ever reach the market.