Acer promises Acer-branded smartphone in early 2009

Acer has been good about keeping the wireless industry reassured that the Taiwanese computer-maker will be releasing an Acer-branded smartphone in the first half of 2009. Since acquiring mobile phone manufacturer E-Ten earlier this year, Acer has repeatedly confirmed that an Acer handset is indeed in the works.

Acer’s acquisition of E-Ten was expected to bear fruit by the end of this year, but Acer representatives have gone on record as saying that Q1 2009 is a more likely launch window. Confusingly, Acer chairman JT Wang announced that an Acer smartphone might not make it to market before Q2 2009. The hold-up is being blamed on ongoing contrat negotiations with wireless carriers around the world.

Company sources have also reportedly said that Acer will be boosting its smartphone division to 500 employees, including 200 from E-Ten’s R&D team. The Acer brand will apparently forge ahead in smartphone development while E-Ten goes back to its roots in developing real-time stock tracking devices.

With Acer’s own R&D team working alongside E-Ten’s proven engineering workforce, the mobile industry may very well see some significant smartphone offerings from Acer next year. Just how long it will take Acer to actually get their mobile-wares to market, however, is an entirely different story.

[Via: DigiTimes]