Dell shows off smart phone ‘prototype’ at China Mobile event in Beijing

Dell developing smart phone for China Mobile

ROUND ROCK, Texas — PC maker Dell Inc. is working on a smart phone for China Mobile Ltd., China’s biggest cell phone carrier.

Rumors of a Dell phone date at least to 2007. Now Dell spokesman Matthew Parretta says the company showed a “proof of concept mobile device prototype” at an event hosted by China Mobile in Beijing on Monday.

Parretta would not say when a Dell phone would be ready for use, or what operating system it might have.

China Unicom, the country’s second-largest wireless carrier, is in talks with Apple Inc. about selling the iPhone in China.