With the rise of various consumer electronics exhibitions, Computex Taipei is no longer the time and place for handset companies to release their annual main attractions.
Though many domestic handset makers and vendors do not have their own booths at the show this year, their presence can still be felt via displays at the booths of software and chipset partners. Digitimes took the opportunity to speak with representatives from Taiwan-based handset companies.
According to representatives from Asustek Computer, Garmin-Asus should reach its 2010 shipment target of one million units declared by Asustek chairman Jonney Shih.
It will concentrate on its A and M series, which support Android and Windows Mobile, respectively, and for 2010, Android-based devices will account for the majority of shipments. All models in the near future will continue to run on Qualcomm solutions, the representatives added.
For the China market, Garmin-Asus is working with carrier China Mobile, and plans to introduce an Ophone by the end of the year, according to the company.
ASUS G60 Linux-based smartphone
Garmin-Asus G60
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
The Garmin-Asus G60 smartphone is a winner of the Taiwan Excellence Award given annually to innovative products made by Taiwan-based companies. The G series, which is based on Linux, is no longer the company's main focus.
Germin-Asus M10 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone
Garmin-Asus M10
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes. June 2010
Asustek representatives emphasized that Garmin-Asus beat HTC in introducing a Windows Mobile 6.5-based smartphone via the introduction of the M10. Apparently, HTC has become the bellwether that other players measure themselves against.
Compared with Garmin-Asus, Acer has a much wider selection in terms of both chipset support and form factors. Acer has continued its popular Ferrari portfolio with a special edition of the Liquid smartphone, which is based on Android 2.1 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon.
Acer Liquid Ferrari special edition
Acer Liquid Ferrari special edition
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
Acer is one of the few handset vendors to actually release new models during Computex, such as the Android-based beTouch E400 on Qualcomm's MSM 7227 processor.
Acer beTouch E400 on Qualcomm's MSM 7227 processor
Acer beTouch E400
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
Another new release. The beTouch E130 supports ST Ericsson's 416MHz processor.
beTouch E130 supports ST Ericsson's 416MHz processor
Acer beTouch E130
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
Acer neoTouch P300
Acer neoTouch P300
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
Introduced earlier this year, the neoTouch P300 comes in a slide form factor with physical QWERTY keypad.
For operating systems, Acer, while still developing Windows Mobile-based smartphones, has shifted its development focus to the Android platform, with at least half of new models launched in 2010 to be Android-based, according to Digitimes Research.
Acer sold about 500,000 own-brand handsets in 2009 and aims for two million units in 2010 due to strong order for the Liquid smartphone. According to Digitimes Research, it has only sold about 500,000 units thus far this year. Representatives at the booth declined to comment on shipment forecast.
Gigabyte's Gsmart brand introduced the S1205 on Windows Mobile 6.5 in May 2010. Representatives from Gigabyte pointed out that the company definitely has devices running on other operating systems coming up and Russia will be an important market for the company.
Gsmart S1205 on Windows Mobile 6.5
Gsmart S1205
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
Many of you probably haven't heard the terms PDA and PDA phone in a while since these devices are now mostly sold in niche markets for industrial applications. Taiwan-based PCB maker Unitech showcased the PA600 industrial PDA, which supports Windows Mobile 6.1, designed for the health care market.
PA 600 industrial PDA bu Unitech
PA600 industrial PDA by Unitech
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
At the Microsoft booth, there was an Inventec smartphone. There were no representatives from the company or specification information, so it's unclear whether the phone is for the Okwap brand or an ODM design.
Inventec Appliances smartphone
Inventec smartphone at Computex 2010
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
The only HTC phones I saw were also displayed at the Microsoft booth, and hence only Windows Mobile devices were available.
When asked whether HTC has other entry-level models for the second half, a company representative kept referring to the introduction of Windows Mobile 7 handsets in the near future but no useful information was provided. Not sure if she was ill informed or being evasive since she was at Microsoft territory. I'd say a little of both.
In the first quarter, HTC introduced the Smart, which supports Qualcomm's Brew platform. It was a good sign that the company is adding products at lower price points to diversify its portfolio.
HTC Mini
HTC Mini smartphone
Photo: Willie Teng, Digitimes, June 2010
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