Why Would AT&T Want Dells Android Phone?
AT&T takes plenty of criticism for its aching wireless network, but it’s rarely accused of lacking a stable of solid smartphones. So, the reports (from the Wall Street Journal’s anonymous sources) that AT&T will offer an Android-powered smartphone from Dell, are a bit of a head-scratcher. But, when you really think about it, it makes plenty of sense for AT&T to be interested in this Android phone. The clearest motive, as my colleague JR Raphael points out, is AT&T’s need to join the Android party, as all three other major carriers have already shacked up with Google’s operating system, or at least plan to. With one analyst from Gartner expecting Android to overtake the iPhone in global market share in 2012, AT&T could be planning ahead. Moreover, AT&T needs to prepare for the day when the iPhone is no longer exclusive. Even AT&T says that’s inevitable, so the carrier will want another exclusive touch screen phone to fill the void. Sure, the carrier has a nice line-up of Blackberry and
