Acer to launch six new handsets and Windows Phone 8 in 2013

Acer said earlier today that it plans to launch six new mobile handsets in 2013, including a Windows Phone 8 device. Company CEO Jim Wong says that the 6 new models would appeal to all segments of the market in Europe, south-east Asia and China.

The handsets will be Android-based, with the exception of the one Windows Phone 8 model. An entry-level model will also feature chips from Taiwanese giant MediaTek while the higher-end designs will score dual-core CPUs from Qualcomm.

Acer's smartphones will be made mainly by OEMs Qisda and Compal next year. In Europe, Acer will be looking to sell through existing sales channels and strike new deals with a few wireless carriers, while in Asia it's looking specifically at Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and India - some of the key growth markets in the region.

But when it comes to the world's largest smartphone market - China, Acer said that it would be targeting entry and mid-level sales, but would steer clear of the ultra low price segment.

Its brand is more commonly associated with laptops and tablets, despite the launch of the high-end CloudMobile S500 smartphone in Europe recently, following hot on the heels of the Liquid Galant and Liquid Glow.