Chairman of the Board of HTC Wang Xuehong, CEO Zhou Yongming and Marketing Director Wang Jinghong attended the conference, which was the first press conference of HTC in China Mainland.

4 new sets were released in the conference – Tian Xi and Tian Yi, which fully supports TD-SCDMA of China Mobile, and Wildfire and Desire compatible with WCDMA of China Unicom. Tian Xi is using the OS of Windows Phone from Microsoft and other sets are based on the Android platform. All the 4 new sets are loaded with HTC Sense interface.

HTC Tian Xi is the first HTC device that supports TD-SCDMA network of China Mobile. It has a 4.3 inches WVGA screen and a TI OMAP3630 800MHz processor, with CMMB mobile tv broadcast fully supported. HTC Tian Yi is focused on middle and low end markets, with Android 2.2 Operating Platform and a QVGA screen.

The HTC WCDMA devices are HTC Wildfire and HTC Desire, which are already very popular in the grey import market before the official release. HTC Wildfire is integrated with several social networking sites, including Kaixin001.com, Sina Weibo and Jiepang.com. It also has a software package that contains hottest HTC apps.

Many HTC lovers are now very concerned about the future of the brand of Dopod. Before the official announcement that HTC will enter China Mainland with the brand of HTC, HTC devices were under the brand of Dopod in China Mainland. “Dopod will not be used on HTC devices in China Mainland,” Wang Jinghong, Marketing Director of HTC said, “but it doesn’t mean we will abandon the brand Dopod. “

According to a source, HTC may be associated with the leading domestic appliance retailer Gome, promoting the new HTC devices.

“HTC will actively develop intelligent advanced wireless broadband products based on the TD-SCDMA standard, and will work closely with China Mobile to design and make products tailored to the needs of the China market,” HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said in a statement.

The two companies formalized a memorandum of understanding Monday, HTC said.

China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou arrived in Taiwan Friday on his first official visit to the island.

Source : Konaxis

The handset, HTC’s Magic smartphone, will use a Chinese-language version of the Android operating system with some modifications to meet the needs of China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier . with more than 500 million subscribers.

The touchscreen phone, to be sold under the Dopod brand in China, will come equipped with China Mobile applications including the firm’s instant messaging client, a mail service and a download platform for songs and pictures, according to the Web site of HTC.

Huawei Technologies, a Chinese telecommunications equipment provider, also previously announced an Android-based phone for China, but its handset is scheduled for sale in the third quarter.

HTC?s previous handsets were based on the Windows Mobile OS but last year offered an Android-based smartphone, the G1 in the U.S.

Phones based on the Open Mobile System OS, a version of Android modified by China Mobile, are also expected in China this year. HTC, Lenovo, Samsung and LG are all developing the handsets, called “OPhones,” according to telecom research firm BDA.

But Lenovo’s handset, originally earmarked for sale as China’s first OPhone this month, may not go to market until the third quarter, said Lei Shi, an analyst at BDA.

China Mobile developed its OS partly to promote the use of its own applications and value-added services, said Shi.

There’s no final word on price yet, but industry experts estimate that HTC’s new China phone will retail for about 5,000 yuan, or about $730.

The OPhones could be HTC?s way to double sales in China this year from 800,000 units last year, according to news reports. Market giant China Mobile may not be the only operator offering the handset. HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said HTC may also offer Android-based models through China Telecom and China Unicom.

The OPhones will be competing against Apple’s iPhone, which is expected to be offered by China Unicom by the end of the year.

Source : Konaxis