Dell plans Android phone on AT&T network

With the AT&T/Dell combo, Android devices will be available from all major carriers.

By Source Seeker on Thu, 10/08/09 - 5:35pm.

Dell is reporedly planning to launch an Android smartphone that will be carried on AT&T's network, according to Reuters. and the Wall Street Journal.

"A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters Dell plans to introduce a U.S. version of its "oPhone" for China -- which runs on Android -- and that the device had be en certified by AT&T for its domestic network."

The WSJ claims that the phone could be available by early 2010. Dell's news was joined by Samsung's news. Samsung on Wednesday also promised to produce an Android phone that would run on the Sprint Nextel network. This phone will be available on November 1.

Dubbed the Samsung Moment, the phone will run on Sprint's EV-DO Rev. A 3G network and will be priced $279.99, but Samsung will offer a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year service agreement. The phone will also feature expandable memory of up to 32GB, a 3.2-megapixel camera and Active Sync for corporate e-mail access.

The Moment will join Sprint's other new Android phone, the HTC Hero, which debuts this Saturday.

Earlier this week, Google announced that it would itself create Android devices with Verizon that will, of course, be available on the Verizon network.

That's not to mention the upcoming launch of an Android phones from other handset makers, such as the Motorola Cliq, launching in November, according to MediaPost.

Today's rumored news of the AT&T Dell line-up represents AT&T's first Android handset. Does it make sense for AT&T to offer the Android, given Google's push into VoIP with Google Voice and the crazy controversy between Google, Apple and AT&T over Google Voice being kicked off the iPhone?

I think it does. Android's popularity is growing wildly and AT&T wants in on the action. One analyst from Gartner even went so far as to predict that Android will overtake the iPhone in global market share in 2012.

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