BenQ pulls the plug on its German mobile division
Auf wiedersehen, BenQ-Siemens, we hardly knew ye. Yes, the struggling German mobile division of BenQ has just filed for bankruptcy protection as per orders from BenQ headquarters in Taiwan. The International Herald Tribune reports that BenQ estimated the company has lost $762 million on the mobile division (which employs 3,000 workers) since it took over the Siemens business in October 2005. Further, The Associated Press adds that the German division will be completely excised from BenQ "financially and operationally once the bankruptcy protection is approved." It's too bad that we won't have the maker of "feminine luxury" or of the "Treo 600-killing" P50 to kick around anymore, because really, who doesn't love a good underdog? Read - IHT
Read - AP
[Thanks, Antti]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James @ Sep 28th 2006 7:08PM
This is too bad, Siemens had some great products when they were just siemens (Almost as good as Sony Ericsson's) but then BenQ bought them, and now this...
Brian C @ Sep 28th 2006 7:31PM
What a shame. I have been waiting for P51 which IMO is the almost perfect PDA phone featurewise. Hope BenQ would continue develop and market this product.
Cam @ Sep 29th 2006 3:54AM
I too have been waiting for the P51 which was supposedly supposed to be released in late July. Time to fine a new phone. The hw6945 is looking good.
silvretta @ Sep 29th 2006 9:15AM
They screwed the german division / workforce over pretty hard. I am guessing they were just waiting for the year to pass, and had planned it all along - take the brand name and run... bummer. Although I was never too convinced of their product line-up...