Neonode's CEO, Mikael Hagman, has issued a statement about the company's strategy moving forward. In what is described as a second phase of a defined strategy, Neonode is currently preparing the necessary groundwork for introducing Neonode's products in the U.S.
When Neonode's first smartphone was officially unveiled back in 2002, it was a highly anticipated Windows Mobile powered smartphone. However, as so many other anticipated smartphones back then, the Neonode N1 was delayed and eventually only saw limited availability.
Just as everyone had forgotten about Neonode, the Swedish company unveiled the N2 last February. Sporting a range of improvements including a touch interface similar to the HTC Touch, the N2's biggest advantage is its petite design.
The most significant improvement, however, can be found in Neonode's distribution strategy. In stead of having to sign up for a limited newsletter on the Web, or having to take a trip to Stockholm to get hold of one, users in all European countries can now purchase the N2 through ordinary sales channels.
The European version of the N2, however, would not work very well in the U.S. Only featuring European 3G and GPRS - no EDGE support - the N2 would obviously transfer data at painfully slow speeds in the U.S. As such, it's interesting news coming from Neonode today, stating that they are now aiming to develop an American version of the N2, which is expected to be available sometime next year.
Whether the Neonode N2 will be picked up by AT&T remains to be seen, but we're most likely talking about an unlocked phone here, and it's not a potential iPhone-killer.
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