Garmin-Asus Nuvifone Finally Coming To US In Q4

After many delays, Garmin-Asus finally started shipping the nüvifone to Asian markets in late July, though some locations won’t get the phone until this month. Now, we’re hearing an update that the nüvifone is on track to launch in the U.S. in the fourth quarter.

During a conference call with analysts, Garmin confirmed that its nüvifone (originally due in the third quarter of 2008) is in final testing with U.S. carriers. Garmin would not reveal the carriers that are testing the product.
Garmin expects the nüvifone to contribute $100 million to $200 million in revenues this year. While reporting its second-quarter earnings, Garmin told analysts it expects sales of personal navigation devices for 2009 to be flat with 2008, although average selling prices will be down 16%.

We were very excited about the nüvifone for quite a while, but given that the specs for the nüvifone remain unchanged from when it was initially announced, we have to wonder if the phone will still be competitive by the time it actually reaches consumers hands. After all, we’ve seen a new iPhone, lots of progress with Android, and the new Palm Pre since the nüvifone was announced. What do you think? Does the nüvifone still stand a good chance at competing with other smartphones on the market today?