HTC will roll out three new mobile phones running on the Google Android Operating System. According to PCWorld, a device that operates on the 3G network, a basic phone with a removable face dubbed as the Click and the Hero are the three handsets speculated to release shortly.
Jackie Zhang, marketing director at Dopod, which distributes HTC handsets in China, in an interview revealed the names and details of these devices. The company has gained immense popularity in the U.S. and Europe after the release of the first Android phone last year.
They are the largest creator of Windows Mobile handsets in the world and that is the reason for the popularity of the company in China. Until now, no other producer has introduced an Android handset in that country. The low-end Click possesses two detachable front covers which enables users to change the color of their device.
It operates on the WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) 3G network. Zhang stated that the 3G standard supported by the phone will be supported by mobile operator called the China Unicorn and could possibly be launched outside China as well.
Moreover he stated that Hero which will run on the 3G network and support the wireless LAN security protocol through China Unicom’s network. But this protocol will not be supported by the device outside China. It will not possess Google Maps as an embedded application.
A government approval will be needed for any software installed on a mobile phone and the country considers Google Maps to be sensitive. However, users can download application themselves or visit Google Maps in a mobile browser.
Reportedly, the Hero will be marketed in red, apart from white and light brown colors. The company is trying to develop a 3G powered Android handset which is promoted by China Mobile, TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous CDMA).
A low-end Android device, the Click is not yet offered through HTC in other countries. The handset will be offered in China for a price of approximately 3,400 yuan ($500) in the fourth quarter of this year.
The Hero will be available for a price of 5,600 yuan. It will soon hit the markets in China before the release of Click. It is speculated that Dopod may launch nearly seven phones based on the Android platform in China, next year.