BenQ has announced that it is to take over Siemens mobile. This includes Siemens 8.4% stake in Symbian subject to approval. The takeover is due to be completed by the end of September.

This may mean mean that there might be a chance of the BenQ P31 being released as a Siemens device in Europe at some stage.

Highlights from press releasefrom above link
+ BenQ Corporation acquires Mobile Devices Business of Siemens AG, one of the largest ever international acquisitions from Asia
+ BenQ transforms into a US$10 billion corporation, 4th largest handset maker in the world, largest mobile phone technology company in Greater China
+ BenQ Corporation and Siemens AG establish a strategic partnership– Siemens becomes a BenQ shareholder and provides €250 million in funds to support the future of the business
+ BenQ transforms itself into a leading technology player with essential IP in mobile communications
+ BenQ and Siemens join forces in a uniquely complementary merger of competitive strengths: R&D capabilities, customer reach, organizations and world-class manufacturing

TAIPEI, TAIWAN and MUNICH, GERMANY, June 7, 2005 – BenQ Corporation has agreed to purchase the Mobile Devices ("MD") business from Siemens AG. The transaction is expected to be completed by September 30, 2005, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The transaction is the first of its kind and scale in Taiwan. The acquisition will transform BenQ in many ways:
- A global company with Asian and substantial international management
- Munich will become the new headquarters for BenQ's global mobile phone business
- Decisive repositioning to become the first and largest global mobile phone technology company in Greater China
- One of the leading global players in the mobile phone industry with strong global manufacturing and design expertise; a blue-chip customer base; and a strong intellectual property ("IP") platform
- BenQ will acquire manufacturing facilities of MD in Kamp-Lintfort, Germany and Manaus, Brazil; for the production site at Shanghai, there will be a manufacturing agreement due to the Joint Venture structure of the Shanghai enterprise. R&D centers in Munich, Ulm and Kamp-Lintfort, Germany; Beijing, China; Aalborg, Denmark; 8.4% shareholding in Symbian subject to approval by Symbian's shareholders

Beginning Of a New Partnership
Siemens AG believes in the future outlook of the MD business and will continue to support the business. Siemens AG will invest €50 million in newly issued BenQ shares to become a shareholder in BenQ. In addition, Siemens will provide BenQ with net funds totaling approximately €250 million for ongoing support of the MD business, for the purposes of which include:

- Enabling a smooth integration and transition process
- Managing migration of a harmonized product platform
- Marketing of the combined brand
- Assisting in the development of an independent IPR position

Moreover, Siemens and BenQ will establish an end-to-end customer solutions committee. Some elements of the partnership include:

- Joint customer approach for joint end-to-end solutions
- Joint research and development efforts in mobile communications
- Joint global sales efforts with operators
- Co-operation between Siemens' infrastructure business and BenQ's terminals business for IP sharing, testing and interoperability
Siemens will enter into a comprehensive non-compete agreement with BenQ in regards to the mobile phone business
- Brand license rights for Siemens brand and development of the BenQ-Siemens co-brand
- IP cross-licensing arrangement for reciprocal free license of Siemens and BenQ's mobile devices patent portfolios

Transaction Rationale
At a time when manufacturing services companies are experiencing increasing competition and margin pressures, BenQ is expanding and integrating a broader product and business strategy to provide customization services to operators and develop industry leading technology and intellectual property. As consumer electronics businesses move to Asia because of cost advantages in development, design, manufacturing, and increasing customer bases, BenQ believes it has acquired one of the most attractive businesses and created a uniquely complementary partnership with Siemens AG.

The transaction will achieve the following objectives:
- Acquisition of key GSM, GPRS and 3G intellectual property in the mobile communications industry
- Obtaining global scale and rights to the globally-recognized Siemens mobile phone brand
- Blue-chip customer acquisition
- Access to management talent
- Strong technology, cost, and revenue synergies create a financially competitive platform
- Improvement of BenQ's European and Latin American presence; creation of additional revenue opportunities in emerging markets such as India and China

thank you man