ARN

HTC to debut first Windows Phone 7 smartphone in Q4

The company expects Microsoft's new OS to lead to much broader app development

High Tech Computer (HTC), the world's biggest maker of smartphones running Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system (OS) and Google's Android mobile OS, plans to launch its first smartphone with Microsoft's latest offering, Windows Phone 7, in the fourth quarter of this year.

"We will have a full-featured smartphone for Windows Phone 7 out in the fourth quarter of this year, but I can't tell you any more than that," said Peter Chou, president of HTC, at a briefing ahead of the Mobile World Congress exhibition in Barcelona this week.

HTC, which often gains an early look at new software to test in new smartphone designs, has predicted that the launch of the new Windows Phone 7 OS will lead to greater app development efforts. Microsoft already offers hundreds of apps on its Web site.

Since it opened in 1997, HTC has worked with Microsoft software in small devices, from Windows CE to Pocket PC 2000 and then Windows Mobile. The company has been an important ally for Microsoft in popularizing Windows Mobile with sleek smartphone designs.

Microsoft changed the name of its Pocket PC OS to take on the Windows Mobile moniker in 2003, a change that has lasted until now. Windows Phone 7 is an attempt by the software giant to regain traction in mobile phone OSs.

The company has been losing market share in the mobile segment against surging rivals such as Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry OS, Apple's iPhone OS and Google's Android OS.

The Windows Mobile OS ended 2009 in fourth place of the global smartphone market, by number of units, with an 8.8 percent share, down from 13.9 percent in 2008, according to market researcher Canalys. Google's Android OS was behind Microsoft in fifth place in global share at 4.7 percent, up from 0.5 percent in 2008, while third-place Apple leaped to 15.1 percent from 9.6 percent and second-place RIM rose to 20.8 percent from 16.5 percent.

Symbian, the leading smartphone OS, also lost share, dropping to 47.2 percent in 2009 from 52.4 percent a year earlier.

Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.

More about: Apple, BlackBerry, Google, High Tech Computer, HTC, Microsoft, Motion, PC 2000, Research In Motion, RIM, Symbian
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the ARN comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: htc, mobile phones, Mobile World Congress, smartphones, Windows Phone 7
ARN Directory | Distributors relevant to this article
Aquion , ASI Solutions , Australasian PC Distributors (APCD) , Avnet Technology Solutions , Bluechip Infotech , Brightpoint Australia , Compucon Computers , Dicker Data , Express Data , Express Online , ICT Distribution , Impact Systems Technology , Leader Computers , NewLease , Synnex Australia , Topstar Computer International , XiT Distribution , Xpress I.T.
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to ARN's news, research and invitation only events.
ARN Distributor Directory
Find distributors by name | vendor | location
Channel Deals
/deals/transition-systems-australia/2010-12-09_354_polycom
Transition Systems Australia

Polycom

More details »
ARN Vendor Directory
Find vendors by name | category

iAsset is a channel management ecosystem that automates all major aspects of the entire sales,marketing and service process, including data tracking, integrated learning, knowledge management and product lifecycle management.