Garmin's nuvifone handsets delayed again
updated 01:05 pm EDT, Mon May 11, 2009
Garmin Nuvifones delayed
Garmin told its investors on Wednesday that it has once again moved back the planned release date of its G60 and other nuvifone smartphones to the second half of the year, and won't, as previously reported, be coming out in June. According to a recent TWICE update, the company is currently taking the phones through the testing phase of the certification process and carriers are very interested in the smartphones. No detailed release date has been given, however.
"Smartphones are complicated and bringing one to market that’s built totally from the ground up on a custom Linux platform is not an easy task," said Garmin president and COO Cliff Pemble of the G60.
The core nuvifone runs on Linux and is being co-developed with ASUS. Another device from the partnership, the M20, runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and was originally due to launch after the G60.
In the call with analysts, Garmin also revealed it will focus on smartphone and personal navigation device sales to the public and retail sales equally. Garmin said North American navigation device sales to consumers increased by 20 percent in the first quarter, while retailer sales dropped by five percent due to overstocking.
