HTC launched new phones and one tablet in Spain overnight, upgrading its lineup and throwing some new technology in for good measure.
The new lineup consists of the newly upgraded HTC Wildfire S, HTC Desire S, HTC Incredible S, two “Facebook phones”, and the first tablet for HTC.
For the new phones, HTC has more or less just upgraded what it already had. The Desire S takes the original Desire, gives it a front camera, new version of Android, and throws in a body made from a single piece of aluminium, similar to last year’s HTC Legend. These upgrades will be similar for the HTC Incredible S.
Meanwhile, the entry-level Wildfire S (above) will be getting a better screen resolution and new case colours.
Also new here is HTC’s pair of “Facebook phones” comprising of two Android devices with dedicated Facebook buttons. Both the HTC Salsa (left) and HTC ChaCha (right) will integrate directly with Facebook using chat, messages, photo uploads, and a collection of new Facebook widgets for Android.
But HTC’s first tablet – the HTC Flyer – makes for an one of the more interesting announcements by the company.
Rather than just sticking with the same Android tablet design we’re beginning to see, HTC will be including a pressure-sensitive pen. Unlike regular tablets, this technology would allow you to draw and take notes on the Flyer’s 7 inch screen.
While we’re not sure if this is the experience everyone wants, HTC isn’t the first company to look in this direction. Last year, Asus showed off the Eee Tablet, a slate that provided a high resolution 2450 dpi screen and integrated a pen, making it perfect for art students and graphic designers.
HTC’s first Android tablet, the HTC Flyer.
Outside of the pen-capable screen, you’ll find a 1.5 GHz processor, 32GB storage, GPS, WiFi, 5 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front camera, and a body made from one piece of aluminium.
The operating system choice is a little surprising too. Unlike other tablets running Google’s Android and arriving this year, the HTC Flyer won’t be arriving with the made-for-tablet “Honeycomb” and will instead come with a version of Android typically used in mobile phones, echoing last year’s Android tablets.
While none of these devices will hit the shelves immediately, Telstra has come out and said that it will be bringing the HTC Desire S exclusively to the Next G network in the first half of 2011.
“The original HTC Desire was a huge hit with our customers and helped to establish the popularity of Android smartphones in Australia,” said Warwick Bray, Executive Director of Telstra Mobile Products. ““The HTC Desire S builds on the qualities that made the original so popular. It features the latest Android Gingerbread operating system as well as a powerful processor that makes for fast, responsive multitasking.”
Last year, Telstra sold the budget HTC Wildfire phone over its prepaid network, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Telstra nabbed the HTC Wildfire S this time around. As for the Incredible S and two Facebook phones, there’s no word on any Australian releases at this time.
