Huawei said it will unveil Android smartphones and "home-use Internet devices" at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, later this month.
The company, known for its often secretive nature, did not reveal any additional details or what exactly "home-use Internet devices" are, though it could mean tablets or netbooks. The company currently has one Android device on the market, the T-Mobile Pulse, which T-Mobile UK has been selling since the fall. It is the first Android device being sold on a prepaid model.
Last year, Google's mobile platform had a small presence at the European trade show, with Vodafone announcing the HTC Magic and Huawei demonstrating its Android device. This year likely will be a different story; more than 50 Android devices are expected to hit the show floor, according to analyst firm CCS Insight.
As for Huawei's upcoming Internet device: "I think that's code for that murky category that Steve Jobs has recently put some definition to," CCS Insight analyst John Jackson told FierceWireless. "That's code for tablet."
He said Huawei has adopted Android as a way to increase its handset presence in Western markets.
Huawei also is expected to demonstrate its proficiency as an infrastructure vendor at the show with demos of LTE-Advanced and HSPA+ equipment.
For more:
- see this IDG News Service article
Related Articles:
T-Mobile Pulse - A guide to Android
Huawei posts strong revenue growth in 2009
2009 Year in Review: Nortel's demise; Huawei, ZTE's rise
Huawei boosting North American presence next year
Huawei confirms Android phone for T-Mobile