The Federal Communications Commission recently approved BenQ’s high-end P50 smart phone for sale in the United States, an indication that the company is hoping to break into the U.S. market after its acquisition of Siemens AG’s mobile phone business.
Designed much like PalmOne Inc.’s popular Treo 650 smart phone, BenQ’s P50 phone features Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile operating system, support for GPRS and Wi-Fi networks, an SD card slot and an integrated digital camera. Like the Treo, the device features a tiny QWERTY keyboard.
The FCC documents did not indicate whether a wireless carrier will sell the device, or what the price would be. BenQ representatives were not immediately available for comment. The FCC must approve all radio frequency devices sold in the United States, but an FCC approval does not guarantee the device will hit store shelves.
BenQ’s new smart phone represents the company’s first public foray into the U.S. market since it agreed to take over Siemens’ mobile-phone business. Prior to its acquisition, BenQ did attempt to score carrier agreements to sell its phones in the U.S. market, but found little interest. The U.S. market is notoriously difficult to enter due to the control wireless carriers wield over phone sales.
Siemens has managed to maintain a quiet presence in the U.S. market with sales through T-Mobile USA Inc. and others. BenQ’s Siemens acquisition could give it an opening into the United States. However, Siemens earlier this year significantly reduced its mobile-phone workforce in the United States and currently sells only a few models in the country.
The P50 smart phone carried BenQ’s logo and was likely introduced into the FCC’s testing process before BenQ announced it would take over Siemens’ handset business.
