Dell to sell smartphone, starting in China, Brazil

By Gabriel Madway

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc is entering the smartphone market, with its first device to launch in China in late November, followed by Brazil toward the end of the year.

But the world's No. 3 personal computer maker gave scant details on the long-rumored new phone, which is called Mini 3 and uses Google Inc's Android software. The company also declined on Friday to give a timeline for launching smartphones in additional markets.

A source had told Reuters in October that Dell plans to sell a phone in the United States on AT&T Inc's network.

Dell is the latest tech name to bet on a smartphone market dominated by Apple Inc's iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry.

Dell said the Mini 3 will be targeted at the consumer market rather than enterprises. China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier by subscribers, and America Movil's Claro will carry the phone.

Dell's phone would also boost Google's fledgling mobile platform, which vies with Apple's and Microsoft's platforms.

FOREIGN LAUNCH

In a blog post, Dell said it was launching in China and Brazil because of their large subscriber bases and because of existing telecom partnerships in those countries.