I keep hearing and sensing that we'll be seeing the INQ line of phones here in North America really soon. Just today, I spotted a review in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Why would I like to see them here? Well for starters I've been using the INQ made SkypePhone and SkypePhone2 via 3 when I'm in the UK and I like it. The newer SkypePhone2's fit and finish reminds me of the better made Samsung or LG devices in quality, or even some of the Nokia N series phones.
They are lightweight, have really good battery life and are low cost. What's more, they come designed from the get go to match the users lifestyle. The new INQ 1 is for social network users. The SkypePhone is primarily for Skype users. As such they support my theory of device divergence, not convergence. That means they do somethings exceptionally well, while still providing other features at the basic levels.
So as for coming to the USA, the timing couldn't be better. Motorola has hit a few pot holes. Palm has some new devices out there, but the price point is yet unknown. The Google Androids are inspiring innovation, and there are more carriers than just Verizon Wirless, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile out there to be sold to. These smaller carriers need a differentiator and the devices are one part of that. INQ provides that differentiator and is hungry to do so.
My crystal ball says we'll see a push from INQ later this year here in the USA as their first foray here started back at GigaOm's Mobilize if you listened to their spokesperson, Frank Meehan, CEO of INQ, closely.
Comments