Acer is planning to launch its first Acer-branded smartphone as early as Q1 2009, according to company representatives. Acer had first indicated this intention back in September but the situation got somewhat confused when company chairman JT Wang later said that devices would not launch until the second half of 2009. An official statement has now reset the launch date to early 2009.
The company will first focus on Western Europe and Russia. Other markets will follow later although a timetable was not revealed.
To date, Acer has revealed little about this or these upcoming smartphones.
Acer is building up a handset business unit of some 500 people with some 200 coming from E-TEN which Acer acquired earlier this year.