Covergence of the laptop PC and the cell phone is likely to happen faster now that major laptop makers are getting into cell phones as this story shows.
Source: The Tiawan Economic News news.cens.com
Taipei, Jan. 4, 2000 (CENS)--In an effort to meet future trends regarding the mobile
phones featuring notebook PC functions, the top five major notebook PC
manufacturers in Taiwan--Quanta Computer Inc., Inventec Corp., Arima Computer
Corp., Acer Inc., and Compal Electronics Inc.--are now marching into the development
of wireless telecommunications products and relevant mobile phones. Competition in
this regard will become fierce in the future, industry sources said Tuesday.
Among the five major notebook PC manufacturers in Taiwan, Acer Inc.'s
subsidiary--Acer Peripherals Inc. has been delivering its newly developed GSM (global
system for mobile communications) mobile phones. Beginning in the first half, this
subsidiary will also debut its CDMA (code division multiple access) mobile phones,
which have already obtained quality certificates from international institutions in this
regard recently.
Acer Inc. will also introduce the latest telecommunication products with the function
of both notebook PCs and mobile phones. The firm has become increasingly successful
in this regard after years of research and development, industry sources said.
Arima will begin the formal production of three-band mobile phones this month, with
the production volume being projected at between 300,000 and 400,000 units. The firm
expects sales of this product will exceed three million units in 2000.
Arima will also develop CDMA mobile phones soon. Following the success of
notebook PCs, the development of wireless telecommunications products such as SMD
(surface mount device) will be an important strategy in the years to come.
Meanwhile, Compal has already invested NT$600 million in the development of
CDMA mobile phones through its overseas base in South Korea. The firm is slated to
conduct the mass production of CDMA mobile phones in the first quarter. The firm
expects sales from CDMA mobile phones will represent a certain revenue ratio,
compared with the firm's other products such as monitors, notebook PCs, and LCD
(liquid crystal display) monitors.
Quanta has already completed relevant technology regarding the development of
CDMA mobile phones. The firm will inject huge capital for the establishment of its
R&D center and the production base for wireless telecommunication products even
though the firm will not debut any mobile phones in the short term.
As for Inventec, the firm was regarded as one of the pioneering information technology
(IT) manufacturers in Taiwan that ventured into the development of wireless
telecommunications products. The firm is now in a better position to develop servers
and PDA (personal data assistance) products.
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