Dell non-committal on return to smartphones

Dell isn't planning to again produce its own smartphones or similar handheld devices "in the near term," company chief Michael Dell said today at the Citi Technology Conference. The founder of the Texas PC maker shot down rumors of an upcoming return to the field and describes any possible move in the future as the eventual reality of the computing industry rather than a deliberate effort on the part of Dell to compete in the smartphone business.

"I think you'll see us with small-screen devices that have capabilities of the devices [analysts] are referring to," Dell says, adding that the lines between notebooks, ultra-mobile PCs, and smaller devices would "get blurry and completely disappear" over time.

Leaks and some statements by Dell have confirmed the company's reentry into MP3 players following its poor-selling DJ series but have yet to provide any kind of definite plans for an initial Dell smartphone. The company was heavily invested in Windows Mobile for multiple years through its Axim PDA line but quietly shelved the product after smartphones effectively replaced the category altogether.

Filed under: industry, gadgets, mobile phones
Other story tags: Dell, Windows Mobile, Axim