HTC's leaked roadmap shows rich range for Windows and Android
Published: 14 January, 2009
READ MORE: HTC | Windows Mobile
Last month saw Nokia's 2009 handset roadmap leaked, and now HTC's plan for the year has also surfaced on the internet, with the release of credible looking documents pointing to the much anticipated mass market Android phone, and a new range of Windows-based gadgets.
According to the roadmap, which surfaced on Chinese web site diypda.com but has been analyzed in detail by Brighthand.com, there will be a new Android phone codenamed Hero, which will be offered on the open market, rather than tied to a single operator like the existing T-Mobile G1 (aka HTC Dream), or other Android products the Taiwanese vendor is said to be creating for other operators like Telstra of Australia. However, Hero looks very similar to Dream, apart from relying solely on a virtual keyboard, rather than offering a physical Qwerty keyboard like the T-Mobile phone. It will also run the upgraded version of Android, with the so-called Cupcake enhancements. Hero is likely to debut early in the second quarter.
Windows-based handsets detailed in the leak include the 'Topaz', assumed from its appearance to be a successor to the HTC Touch Diamond - Brighthand says there are multiple variants, one each for the top three US carriers and one for Europe. There are also three likely follow-ons for the Touch Pro, codenamed 'Rhodium', 'Barium' and 'Tungsten', presumed to be Windows phones, though this is not specified in the document. They are tablet style devices with landscape keyboards and are likely to be destined for the top four US carriers and for T-Mobile International. All the handsets are likely to debut at next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Other Windows devices include the Maple, a successor to the HTC Excalibur, better known at the T-Mobile Dash non-touchscreen tablet phone; and variations called Willow and Cedar. The successor to the HTC Athena, also known as Advantage Series, will be Thoth, a top-of-the -range business tablet with large display and a detachable keyboard. Meanwhile, the Whitestone looks set to replace the Touch HD (codenamed Blackstone) and will include a stand.
A couple of mystery models, in terms of OS, are the Memphis and Sapphire, which Brighthand speculates are Android Dream variants, the latter apparently headed for Vodafone, T-Mobile and DoCoMo.
HTC posted an increase in full year sales from $3.58bn in 2007 to $4.61bn in 2008, with the main driver being sales of its T-Mobile G1 Android phone, plus an increasing shift towards high end smartphones with its Touch range. The Taiwanese company reported net income of $866.72m for the year, but this was down from $972.49m in 2007, reflecting tougher pricing markets. HTC said 2008 shipments of the G1 and Touch Diamond met expectations of one million and three million units respectively. HTC is aiming for 20% revenue growth this year and plans to launch 10 new phones in the year. It has also announced a deal to use Ericsson Mobile Platforms chipsets for its HSPA handsets.
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