While it has been years since a Pocket Loox device has ever been even aimed at the United States, this week Fujitsu Siemens officially announced it was ending its Loox line of PDAs and Smartphones.
The cancellation also marks the almost complete end Siemens’ wireless handset ventures. The company still owns a share in BenQ-Siemens, however that company has recessed to being an Asia-only manufacturer after shutting down its European presence (due to going bankrupt).
The Loox line of devices was relevant for a few reasons; it targeted highly-technical users, being one of the first devices to integrate Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi, and not relying on ODM giant HTC to create new devices. However, the device line was also known for not being friendly to the United States (never actually having a retailer presence here), and for being extremely high-priced. As such, sales for the Loox line were never stellar.
The company has said it will re-focus on the PC market, and will cease sales by the end of the year of smartphones (though it assures customers they will continue to receive device support for existing units).
