Hold the Phone: Dell Not Out of the U.S. Smartphone Biz After All

Dell’s track record with the stateside smartphone market isn’t the greatest; after the Aero and Streak 5 flamed out, Dell gave it another shot with the Venue and Venue Pro, which are now apparently being discontinued in the U.S. The killing off of the Venue phones coupled with the company’s continuing shift into the IT solutions sector made it seem clear that Dell was done with competing against iPhones and Android handsets.

However, PCMag reports that, according to Dell spokesperson Ellen Murphy, Dell simply axed the Venue phones because they were at the end of their lifecycle and that the company has plans to roll out new smartphones yet this year.


Get 'em while supplies last. (Image credit: Newegg)

We’ll take that statement with a grain of salt (What smartphones? On what platform[s]? When exactly?), but if nothing else, this sends the message that Dell is putting a bookmark in the U.S. smartphone market as its overall mobile strategy with Windows 8 tablets unfolds in the coming months.

Further, it’s not like Dell isn’t making any smartphones elsewhere; its models are sold in several countries, including China, Korea, and India, despite failing to gain a foothold on American soil.

In any case, it sounds like the U.S. market is slated for Dell smartphones, round three.