Dell's building an Android phone to be unveiled next month? We're not holding our breath.

Stick this one firmly in the rumor category, since all the verbiage that's been thrown around about this story still traces back to one single source: a slightly ill-informed article done up in MarketingWeek in the UK. The article cites unspecified "senior industry sources," and goes on about how this is Dell and Google working closely together on what is more or less the "Gphone." Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer, the primary weight we can give to this rumor is that fact that Dell picked up a former Motorola executive, Ron Garriques, to run its Global Consumer Group early last year. Other rumors have cropped up over the years about Dell moving in this direction, so it certainly wouldn't signal the apocalypse if a Dell-branded Android phone does show up at this rumored unveiling at 3GSM, but giving how early on Android is at the moment, we'll believe it when we see it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Ellianth @ Jan 31st 2008 8:59AM]

Hopefully they do make some kind of phone. I always thought AXIMs were awesome.

[JohnTitor @ Jan 31st 2008 12:08PM]

I just put Windows Mobile 6 on my 4 year old X50v
now it's one of the most powerful WM6 devices
bring back Axim!

[Mickey Jones @ Jan 31st 2008 4:06PM]

Double that. I'm still rockin' my x50v. Hopefully if true, it will have the same build-quality and $ value that the Axims had.

[js @ Jan 31st 2008 9:06AM]

Wow that looks like an iPhone.

[Kamokazi @ Jan 31st 2008 9:15AM]

Yes it does. And it was launched 3 or 4 years before the iPhone.

[Jon Shipman @ Jan 31st 2008 9:55AM]

The one inside the Axim looks like a Palm Centro though

[silverblackvoid @ Jan 31st 2008 12:01PM]

oh no... the iphone troll.

[dvschnk @ Jan 31st 2008 12:19PM]

iphone troll...you mean all the writers at engadget?

[Homeboy @ Jan 31st 2008 9:07AM]

"Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer"

Uhmm OS and hardware go hand in hand. If Google want Android to be a success they will have to jump into bed with one manufacturer and develop a device which can fully run and take advantage of Android.

Just look at the iPhone, it's a friendly device to use mainly because the OS and hardware have walked hand in hand down the development time line.

[Gremlin @ Jan 31st 2008 9:10AM]

Let's hope this one actually comes to fruition.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 31st 2008 9:25AM]

It'll never happen.

Dell has no links with carriers, and they'd be up against HTC (who we KNOW is making an Android phone). HTC does have links with almost every single carrier out there.

So the only option would be to buy it direct from Dell, unsubsidized which would make no sense, unless Dell invents some mindblowing feature that HTC didn't think of.

The article also says it'll be revealed at 3GSM, which is not the right name (they renamed themselves Mobile World Congress). They also say that Dell "already produces PDA's" which is not the case, they axed the Axim last year and never actually produced them in house. Then finally they quote someone saying the Axim was a "flop" which is also incorrect.

Any article with that much BS is probably wrong on the main subject as well.

[Kamokazi @ Jan 31st 2008 9:36AM]

Dell's Axims were manufactured by HTC (and possibly even partially designed by them too). So it would be safe to assume HTC would have a hand in this as well.

[Rand @ Jan 31st 2008 9:54AM]

.....and Dell does have links with carriers.....they have 3G in some of their notebooks.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 31st 2008 9:58AM]

Yeah, but not for hardware. All they do is sell subscriptions, anyone can do that. But yeah, I forgot about that part.

[StrangeBum @ Jan 31st 2008 9:41AM]

I am excited about this. Sure it's just a rumor as of now. But the Android OS has me very intrigued, and I will most likely pick up a phone with it as my next upgrade. And surprisingly (or not) the Axim actually seems like it could be a great device to utilize Android. While I would rather see someone like Nokia make the official 'g-phone', you could do worse than Dell.

I sense a major iPhone competitor (killer, perhaps?) in the not so distant future now. Whether it's this device or another one utilizing Android, I think it's coming. Don't worry, I'm not a fanboy in any way. Would just be nice to see a friendly and socially acceptable alternative to the iPhone.

[Mark Simmons @ Jan 31st 2008 9:57AM]

this looks interesting and anything that pushes the boundaries of phones is surely a good thing whether your looking to switch phones or stick with an exizting one ( like iphone). An agressive competitor will no doubt encourage all the major players to up the stakes to stay in the game :-)

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jan 31st 2008 10:04AM]

I think we'll see more than one iPhone-killer in the next 6-12 months -- with a better feature-set, 3G+, open software, comparable screen size and Google OS.

Great for everyone. Bring 'em on!

[Reid @ Jan 31st 2008 12:06PM]

Socially acceptable alternative to the iPhone? What, are people being shunned in public for pulling out an iPhone now? :)

I, too, am interested in seeing what comes of Android. Certainly the possibilities are limitless, and at least one of the products is bound to be downright awesome. It'll certainly be competition for my next-gen phone dollars.

But it won't be from Dell, if the success of the Dell DJ predicts anything.

[danny @ Jan 31st 2008 10:07AM]

No, Google is not going to solely work with one hardware manufacturer, doing so would be suicide to the whole of Android. I suspect, if this article proves true, that Google is helping with this product only because it is one of the first to run Android. I mean, did Microsoft not do the same thing with Windows Mobile? Or am I totally off-base...?

-D
http://www.androidboards.com

[CanCar @ Jan 31st 2008 10:12AM]

This notice has been denied by Google. They said that this strategy is a risk since the Android platform - based on Linux - is being still developed and could have many faults.

[Eric @ Jan 31st 2008 10:52AM]

Yeah, and I bet just as they claimed to be the first to put WIFI in their laptops (Apple beat them by a year) they'll claim to be the ones who invented cellphones.

[rob @ Jan 31st 2008 12:08PM]

Dell's President of consumer sales Ron Garrage is from Motorola...Not a far stretch

[Conrad @ Jan 31st 2008 1:05PM]

Here is something to add to the Google Dell rumor mill. Google signed a lease last week in Austin. It is large enough for 100 to 150 engineers. No word on what they plan to do with this office, but that would put them in close proximity to Dell up the street in Round Rock.

Google signs a lease in Austin
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/technology/01/24/0124google.html

[Chris @ Jan 31st 2008 4:39PM]

I just need an actual phone to get my hopes up. Is it that much to ask for all mighty Google?