History of Dell Streak in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 14, 2026

Released in 2010, the Dell Streak was a pioneering mobile device that bridged the gap between smartphones and tablets. Often categorized as an early 'phablet,' it featured a 5-inch display, which was significantly larger than the standard smartphone screens of its era. Running on the Android operating system, the Streak was designed for media consumption, web browsing, and mobile communication. Despite its innovative concept, the device struggled in the market due to its thick build, aging software version, and a lackluster user interface that failed to compete with contemporary offerings from rivals like Samsung. The Dell Streak is now remembered as a notable, albeit flawed, precursor to the modern large-screen smartphone revolution that eventually became the industry standard.

June 2009: Initial Development Disclosure

In June 2009, the development of the Dell Streak device was officially disclosed to the public for the first time.

October 2009: 3G Calling Capability Revealed

By October 2009, it was confirmed that the Dell Streak tablet featured the hardware capability to make 3G phone calls.

September 2010: O2 Dell Streak Android 2.1 Update Controversy

In early September 2010, O2 mobile network customers in Britain received an Over the Air update to Android 2.1 for their devices. The deployment was met with significant backlash from users due to the emergence of software bugs and the unexpected removal of features that were present in previous versions.

December 2010: Release of Android 2.2 for Dell Streak

In December 2010, Dell began offering unlocked versions of the Dell Streak smartphone pre-installed with the Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system, upgrading from the previously standard Android 1.6 version.

2010: Release of the Dell Streak 5

In 2010, Dell officially released the Dell Streak 5, a phablet device that originally carried the development name Dell Mini 5 and featured the Android operating system.

January 2011: Announcement of the 7-inch Dell Streak

In January 2011, during the Consumer Electronics Show, Dell officially announced a new seven-inch version of their Streak tablet device.

August 15, 2011: Discontinuation of Dell Streak 5

On August 15, 2011, Dell officially discontinued the Streak 5, redirecting customers who tried to purchase the device to a dedicated "Good Bye, Streak 5" landing page.

December 2, 2011: Discontinuation of Dell Streak 7

On December 2, 2011, the Dell Streak 7 was officially discontinued, though Dell maintained sales of a 10-inch tablet model specifically for the Chinese market during that time.

2011: Dell Streak 7 Market Reception and Launch Struggles

During 2011, the Dell Streak 7 launched to a lukewarm reception, plagued by criticisms regarding its lackluster display quality, persistent software bugs, and a bulky form factor. Furthermore, because it ran on the smartphone-optimized Android 2.2 'Froyo' operating system rather than a tablet-specific OS, it struggled to compete effectively against rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the dominant Apple iPad 2.