Jumping eagerly into the exploding smartphone market, Dell is gearing up for the Nov. 8 United Kingdom release of its Venue Pro smartphone powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. But before the phone even hits the market, there is word that a version using Google’s Android operating system will soon follow.
The Venue Pro has a 800×480-pixel capacitive touchscreen, a five-megapixel camera with digital zoom and LED flash, and a one-gigahertz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also features a slide-down, portrait-mode QWERTY keyboard.
Not Just for Windows?
Equipped with Microsoft’s Office suite, the Venue Pro is due for release in the U.S. during the holiday season. The report in PC Magazine mentioning an Android version of the phone is news because the Venue Pro was one of a handful of devices showcased by Microsoft when the company launched Windows Phone 7 and handsets from Samsung, HTC and LG.
Android is gaining market share fast and Texas-based Dell already makes two Android devices, the Streak, with a five-inch display, and the Aero, with a 2.5-inch display (called the Mini outside the U.S.)
The Venue Pro will be distributed by T-Mobile in the U.S., and while the price has not been disclosed, an unlocked version in the United Kingdom will sell for about $700. The carriers outside the U.S. have not been named.
The growing number of Android phones is a blessing for Google, which gives the operating system away but sells applications to work with it. But its a challenge for equipment manufacturers such as Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, LG and HTC.
No Margin for Error
“Each newcomer in the Android arena faces a challenge of differentiation — making sure that the handset stands out enough to attract carriers, retailers and — ultimately — consumers,” said Alex Spektor of Strategy Analytics. “Chinese vendors like Huawei are able to differentiate their…