Lenovo
NEC Looking to Sell Its Cell Phone Business
NEC is ready to exit the cell phone business. According to sources cited by Reuters, the Japan-based company may divest its cell phone business to Lenovo, with which it already has a business relationship. Lenovo, headquartered in China, has been clear about its ambitions in the mobile phone space, but has yet to field a successful device outside its home market. "Amid the rapidly changing market we are considering a number of ways to bolster the competitiveness of our mobile phone business, but nothing has been decided," said NEC in a statement. The company is also exploring a sale to a firm located in Japan, reports Reuters. NEC's handsets are generally sold only by Japan's mobile network operators, such as NTT DoCoMo and Softbank.
Lenovo Hopes to Crack U.S. Smartphone Market
Lenovo today indicated that it wants to sell smartphones in the U.S., according to an interview with Reuters. David Schmoock, Lenovo's North American chief, said, "I will spend time over the next couple of years building out the relationship with the mobile providers -- AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc. You have to build out that network first, then that allows you to put products on the shelf." Schmook doesn't see Lenovo hitting U.S. retail stores imminently, but he is working to make it happen. Lenovo recently announced a new Android-based smartphone called LePhone 2 that will be sold in its home market of China.
Apple Joins Board of Bluetooth SIG
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group today announced two new board members, Apple and Nordic Semiconductor. The Bluetooth SIG explains that Apple and Nordic Semiconductor will help evolve the way Bluetooth 4.0 is used at the platform, application, and sensor levels, as well as help ensure compatibility between Bluetooth devices. Other members of the board include Intel, Motorola, Lenovo, Nokia, Microsoft, Ericsson, and Toshiba. Apple and Nordic's appointments are effective July 1 and will last for two years.
