HTC does Android for Vodafone

HTC'S MAGIC smartphone will be Vodafone’s first Android-powered mobile, the firms trumpeted today. 

The handset, which will be available in the spring, is exclusive to Vodafone in the UK, Spain, Germany and France  and available on a non-exclusive basis in Italy.

The Magic is the result Vodafone and HTC getting cosy after Vodafone joined the Open Handset Alliance late last year, the firms said.

For some reason the phone will be available in white in the UK, Spain and France, black in Germany and in both colours in Italy. Go figure.

“Following our joining of the Open Handset Alliance, we have worked very closely with HTC to bring this cool new phone to the market," said Patrick Chomet, Global Director of Terminals, Vodafone Group.

Andy Rubin, Senior Director of Mobile Platforms at Google called tha Magic an "important step" for Android.

"With it, Vodafone is opening up the mobile web for consumers across Europe and giving more third-party developers a platform on which they can build the next wave of killer applications."

Available for free on various price plans, the HTC Magic has a 3.2-inch QVGA touch screen display and a variety of email options such as Google Mail, POP3 and IMAP as well as Google Talk for instant messaging.

It boasts an Android-optimised Webkit browser, Google Maps and Google Search as well Youtube. µ