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Qualcomm "finally gets foot in door" with Asustek phones?

Reports out of Asia have been predicting a 3G handset alliance between chip designer Qualcomm, and equipment maker Asustek, for years. Finally (says the rumour mill) the deal is about to be inked.

Luck seems to have elusive, for Asustek. It was one of the first to agree to buy Intel's Xscale-based phones; and when that deal died (Intel pulled out of phone making) they switched to Ericsson's handset business. At the time, it was said that "issues affecting the product launch of Intel-based Asustek 3G handsets are the main cause of the shift in strategy." Digitimes said:

Asustek's 3G handset volume production schedule has been delayed for a year while rivals including BenQ, High Tech Computer (HTC) and Inventec Appliances Corporation have already introduced their respective 3G lineups.

Today's story by Daniel Shen suggests that the deal is not only signed, but that Asustek is developing handsets, and that Qualcomm-based hardware will be on the shelves before year end:

Asustek Computer has started developing 3G handsets utilizing 3G solutions from Qualcomm, with the first Qualcomm-based 3G model to be launched by the end of this year, according to market sources... [the] licensing agreement with Qualcomm, enables the company to begin developing 3G handsets using Qualcomm CDMA technologies (QCT)