Dell dives into US smartphone market

SAN FRANCISCO - Computer giant Dell launched its first US smartphone Tuesday as it seeks a foothold in the market that is predicted to become even larger than the market for personal computers.

The Dell Aero, which runs on Google’s Android operating system, will cost some $100 on the AT&T mobile network and features a 3.5-inch screen and a five megapixel camera. Weighing just 104 grams, Dell says the Aero is one of the lightest smartphones on the market.

Dell executive Ron Garriques said in a statment that the Aero is designed “to help people find new ways to connect with friends and express themselves socially” with features such as built-in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube apps.

Dell first entered the smartphone market in late 2009 with the release of its Mini 3 in China. Earlier this summer, the company also released The Streak, a five-inch tablet computer, which also runs on Android.

According to research firm iSuppli, Android-powered phones are set to overtake iPhones in market share by 2012. The firm predicts there will be 75 million Android phones on the market by 2012, up from 25 million in 2009.

The company predicts Android will have a 19.4 percent share of the smartphone market by 2012, compared to 15.9 percent for the 62 million iPhones that are predicted to be sold by then.

The worldwide smartphone market is expected to grow 36 percent to 247 million units in 2010 from 182 million in 2009, iSuppli said.