June 2009]
BenQ, in the wake of the increasing popularity of Android-based products, plans to launch Android-powered smart handheld devices and netbooks in 2010, according to Peter Chen, general manager of BenQ's technology product center.
Chen noted that the company will initially start integrating Android into smart handheld devices and is currently evaluating platform solutions from Intel and Qualcomm. The company will later support Android on its netbooks.
Although Android has advantages over cost, the current ecosystem of available applications that can run on the platform is still limited and is therefore creating a barrier of entry for some smaller brand PC vendors. But as more vendors enter the market and more software is developed, the value of the Android platform will start to increase, Chen pointed out.
In addition to Android, BenQ will also launch Windows 7-based products in the fourth quarter.
