HTC takes a swipe at the iPhone

HTC ANNOUNCED to the world at a semi-glitzy London event their new phone - the HTC Touch.

A small touch-screen, Windows Mobile 6 based device with a snazzy interface, akin to the iPhone. It's on sale now within the UK and the next 30 days across Europe then Asia. It will be for sale in in North America somewhere in the second half of 2007.

This is the first product to be based on its "Touch Flo" technology, letting you "swipe" your thumb up the screen to active frequent menus and across the screen usually used features. It's only Triband and GPRS/EDGE based, but comes with a 2 megapixel camera and 1GB micro SD card to compensate.

At the press conference we were told it the UK high street price is €499 - someone perhaps should have told HTC the UK doesn't use the Euro yet.

Orange will be the first to launch this device and for the very first time not in its SPV range - just as the HTC Touch. This is a break away from their usual thinking, obviously recognising the brand HTC has become.

Second out of the starting block will be T-Mobile, launching this as its MDA Touch, obviously not realising the brand HTC has become on its own.

We were waiting to publish Orange and/or T-Mobile prices and tariffs in the UK, seeing as it's already on sale - alas, they're not giving them out yet. Even after our considerable constant pressure, efforts and cajoling for a few days. µ