“You know what we need? Yet another Android handset maker,” would be my sarcastic response to almost any company announcing plans to join the fray. Off the top of my head, you have HTC, LG, Kyocera, Motorola, Huawei, Pantech, and Sony all desperately scrounging for that wee bit of market share that Samsung isn’t dominating. HP’s eventual plans to rejoin the wireless world are already worth scorning, sight unseen.
Then came this glorious article from the Wall Street Journal. Lenovo is looking at entering the U.S. Android market. I’ve long coveted Lenovo’s smartphones, way back to the first eye-catching LePhone model. Those who have used a Lenovo tablet may not be aware, but the grid skin actually dates back to the days of Android 2.3 and the first LePhone.
Clamshell by day, candy bar by night.
Lenovo seems to have something of a love-hate relationship with the mobile arm of the company, having actually sold if off in 2008 only to buy it back one year later. Since then, the focus has been on China and emerging markets (Middle East, India, and Russia), with plans to ship to Europe by some point in 2014. That’s also about when I’ll be able to walk into my local Generic Wireless and buy a Lenovo phone.
Lenovo’s cautious approach to mobile, married with the company’s extensive experience and strong industrial design, make me giddy with anticipation.
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