Johannesburg, 06 Nov 2008
Following its acquisition of Taiwan-based smart handheld manufacturer E-Ten, in March, Acer is making moves into the smart handheld market. It is also using the company's telecommunications know-how to add to its existing product line-up.
Speaking at a Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) press briefing*, held in Dubai on 5 November, Acer EMEA VP Emanuele Accolla said the company is entering the smart handheld market with three specific features in mind - a device that users can take anywhere, that lets them be accessible and contactable whenever and wherever.
“The reasoning behind the acquisition of E-Ten was that we not only wanted to grow the business by entering a new market segment, but the main reason was the telecommunications technology that is becoming more and more important for computer technology. We made the acquisition to get that know-how,” he explained.
This know-how has seen Acer recently release the 3G Aspire One (mini notebook), and will see it launch smart handheld devices, of some description, next year. At this stage, says Accolla, it is difficult to say what the device will feature or when it will launch, but the company is looking at consumer behaviour and needs in this market very carefully.
“The global economic situation might drive us to look more carefully at when we launch,” he added. “It is one thing to launch a new model - but a new portfolio takes a different kind of investment.”
Acer's broad strategy is to cover the entire mobile computing sphere - from notebooks, to mini notebooks (or netbooks) to smart handhelds.
According to Accolla, notebook unit sales will exceed desktop sales next year, and by 2011/12, 60% of the 600 million units expected to ship globally in that period will be notebooks.
*Samantha Perry was in Dubai courtesy of Acer META.
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