Acer says to launch Android phone this year

(For other news from the Reuters Global Technology Summit, click here)

PARIS, May 20 (Reuters) - Acer Inc (2353.TW), the world's third-largest PC brand, plans to introduce a phone model running on Google's (GOOG.O) Android software this year, the head of its phone unit said on Wednesday.

The company plans to sell this year around 10 models, with all but one using Microsoft's (MSFT.O) Windows Mobile software.

Aymar de Lencquesaing told the Reuters Global Technology Summit in Paris Acer was seeing a lot of benefit from its laptop offering when looking for operator-partners to sell its smartphones.

Acer entered the market for smartphones -- mobile phones that offers advanced computer-like capabilities -- this year following the acquisition of Taiwan's portable device-maker Eten Information Systems Co in 2008.

Aymar de Lencquesaing said Acer has prioritised around 40 operators to sell its phones through.

"We're in discussions with all of them. To date none of them has said 'thanks, but no thanks, and never come back,'" he said.

Acer aims to reach 6 to 7 percent of the smartphone market by 2012-2013, boosted by volume growth of cheap smartphones.

De Lencquesaing said the company had no plans to introduce mid-range feature phones, but said it sees smartphone prices falling quickly to similar levels.

"Late 2009, we're releasing a smartphone... full touch, at the price of feature phones today," he said.

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(Reporting by Tarmo Virki; Editing by Hans Peters)

((tarmo.virki@reuters.com, +358-9-680 50 235, Reuters messaging: tarmo.virki.reuters.com@reuters.net)) For Reuters MediaFile blog see blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/ Keywords: TECH SUMMIT/ACER

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