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Dell in a statement confirmed that it had backed out of smartphones in the US. At least at present, the Android-running Venue and Windows Phone-based Venue Pro had "run their course," PCWorld paraphrased a Dell representative as saying. There would be mobile devices later into 2012, but Dell was unclear if there would be more than tablets at the time.
Dell is whittling back one of its staple practices at CES in a sign of a reduced focus on the home for 2012. New leaks Wednesday hinted to AllThingsD that the company would drop its near-traditional occupation of a whole floor at The Palms off of the Las Vegas strip in favor of the hotel suite invites and meeting rooms common to companies that don't have major products to unveil at the show. If would instead attach itself to a keynote from one of its partners, implying Intel or Microsoft.
Dell announced on Thursday that the first of its Windows Phone 7 devices to get the Mango update will be the unlocked Venue Pro smartphone. Those in the US, India, Europe, the Middle East and Africa with the handset can expect the update to roll out sometime this fall. Owners of the handset locked to T-Mobile and Cincinnati Bell Wireless will also get the new code.
A Dell employee used Twitter to reveal that the Venue Pro smartphone on T-Mobile in the US and other countries began receiving a firmware update on Wednesday, July 20. Bugs addressed by the update include the Wi-Fi lockup issue and some other, less serious ones. When AT&T users of the phone or those with Bell in Canada will get the update remains to be seen.
Dell in a statement given to Electronista partly put to rest worries that it might be left out of Windows Phone in the future. The Venue Pro's creator still had a "positive and ongoing relationship" with Microsoft, it said. However, the company was completely silent on any future device plans, instead noting that it was interested in making "great mobile experiences."
Dell has finally released its Venue Pro smartphone for customers using AT&T's network, following an earlier release through T-Mobile and other carriers in international markets. AT&T subscribers can choose from 8GB, 16GB or 32GB storage capacities, with prices starting at $100 when paired with a two-year contract.
The Dell Venue Pro smartphone is now available in the UK, after suffering delays. The unlocked device is available directly from Dell, priced at £382.50 (about $620). The phone runs on Windows Phone 7 and features a 4.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 800x480 pixels that's covered by curved Gorilla Glass.
Several of Dell's upcoming smartphones and tablets have reportedly surfaced in alleged internal roadmaps for the company's 2011 plans. The handset document, which was posted on WP Central, shows an improved version of the current Venue Pro, named the 'MLK' version, along with a similar device paired with the code-name Wrigley.
An AT&T compatible version of the Dell Venue Pro has popped up for pre-order on the Negri Electronics website. Currently, the Windows Phone 7 QWERTY portrait slider phone is only available on T-Mobile’s 3G bands, which operate at 1,700 and 2,100MHz. The new version is being sold unlocked and is fitted with an AT&T compatible 3G radio that operates on the 850 and 1900MHz spectrum.
BBC reporter Tim Weber has just revealed through a tweet that Dell plans on releasing more Windows Phone 7-powered handsets. The news came from Michael Dell himself, who was carrying a WP7 and Android phone and said 'several' new Windows Phone 7 smartphones are coming. Thus far, Dell makes only the Venue Pro with Microsoft's new mobile OS.
Although Dell has already resumed shipping its Venue Pro handsets, the company may not have fully resolved the defects that plagued the first run. The primary issue, which appears to affect the 16GB variant, causes the phone to freeze when the user is attempting to download large apps from the Windows Phone Marketplace.
The Dell Venue Pro smartphone has now officially gone on sale, though earlier than expected just yesterday. A Tuesday report had the WP7 handset due on December 14 for $150 on a two-year contract, while the phone will actually ship on December 9 for $100. This is for the 8GB version, with the 16GB model priced at $150, and either will be tied to a T-Mobile contract.
