Garmin-Asus hopes a Windows Phone 7 device, expected to launch early 2011, will save its smartphone business. It also plans to expand its Android line-up with new devices, according to DigiTimes.
Last month Garmin's CFO said publicly the company is ready to exit the smartphone business if it does not achieve success in 6 months. Analysts define success as Garmin-Asus selling at least a million devices or more each year to stay in the smartphone market.
The Garmin-Asus joint venture, created in reaction to smartphones cutting into GPS business, made only $27 million in revenue in Q2 2010. GPS device sales are also down from their 2008 peak, which is putting more pressure on the smartphone business to pull its weight.
