Acer plans strategic assault on tablet and smartphone markets

Company hoping to capitalise on booming portable demand

Acer is embarking on a long-term strategy to establish itself as a major player in the smartphone and tablet markets by strengthening its portfolio of devices, according to analyst firm IDC.

The Taiwanese manufacturer announced three tablets, a smartphone and the Iconia dual-screen laptop at a conference in New York on Tuesday.

Acer has created a portfolio of products since entering the mobile market two years ago, releasing surprisingly good devices at different price points and with operating systems.

"Acer has taken the opposite approach to a firm like Toshiba, which produced a couple of good mobile devices but has not succeeded in this market because it didn't commit to producing a strong portfolio," Francisco Jeronimo, research manager for European mobile devices at IDC, told V3.co.uk.

"Western Europe is a tough region for Acer and it is producing multiple devices to show that it is here to stay in the smartphone and tablet markets and win over support from operators."

Acer could see shipments increase after two years as consumer and operator confidence in its products grows, Jeronimo added.

The tablet most likely to attract business users is Acer's 7in Android device, which is expected to be available in April. The device will feature a 1,280 x 800 resolution 16:10 aspect touch screen, front-facing HD camera and a dual-core processor.

Support for Flash 10.1 and HDMI output will be included, as will Wi-Fi, 3G and DLNA connectivity, which is likely to attract business users.

Jeronimo believes that the 7in form factor will be increasingly popular with enterprises that need such devices to be lightweight and portable.

Acer plans strategic assault on tablet and smartphone markets

Company hoping to capitalise on booming portable demand

"A 7in screen is more than big enough to display content and run applications, while the 10in devices are likely to suit consumers who want to access email, internet and multimedia from home," he said.

This runs contrary to statements by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, who believes that 7in models are "too small" to create great tablet apps.

The Acer Android tablet is also expected to compete price-wise with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the analyst added.

Specifications for Acer's 10.1in tablets are limited, but one will run Windows 7 with an AMD platform and have 1.3-megapixel front and rear cameras.

Acer will also provide a docking device that includes a full-size keyboard, allowing the 1kg device to be used like a conventional laptop. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the tablet is expected to ship in February.

The 10.1 Android device, meanwhile, will come with a high-resolution, high-colour contrast display, with a focus on playing and sharing HD video. The tablet is capable of full-HD output via the HDMI port. Both 10in tablets will also feature Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity.

Acer will also launch another high-end Android smartphone that could prove a hit with business users due to a 4.8in 1,024 x 480 resolution screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio, which provides the same browsing experience as a traditional PC, according to the manufacturer.

The device will be powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Other features include a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling and an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash on the back.

Users will also be able to share multimedia content wirelessly via the integrated Clear.fi media sharing system.

Acer has yet to officially name the devices, and pricing will be confirmed closer to the launch dates.