For free on a $60 monthly plan

Mar 26, 2010 09:29 GMT  ·  By

On Thursday, Wireless carrier Telstra and handset vendor HTC Corporation announced that the Android-powered HTC Desire smartphone was set to become available for purchase in Australia come April 27. The handset will be launched in the country exclusively on Telstra’s Next G network, the fastest 3G network in Australia.

HTC Desire continues HTC’s leadership in cutting-edge phone design and function,” said Anthony Petts, sales and marketing director ANZ, HTC Corporation. “The new HTC Sense experience enhances the user’s ability to personalise their smartphone, discover endless possibilities with applications, and stay close to people like never before.”

The new mobile phone is powered by a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and runs under Google's Android 2.1 operating system, being able to offer an enhanced user experience courtesy of its fast performance and of the HTC Sense solution it includes. At the same time, the device boasts a 3.7 inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen display with pinch-to-zoom capabilities, a 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a microSD memory card slot for additional storage space.

The HTC Desire also incorporates integrated applications from Google, including Gmail and Google Calendar, the HTC Friend Stream solution which aggregates social communications from Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, as well as the enhanced HTC Sense experience. According to HTC, the new Sense solution on Desire offers a new newsreader application and widget, and many other features.

“HTC Desire gives customers unprecedented ability to personalise their mobile,” said Ross Fielding, executive director, Mobility Products, Telstra. “Not only can customers select from a massive ecosystem of free and paid-for applications from the Android Market – as well as Telstra apps like Mobile FOXTEL– but they can completely re-configure how shortcuts and applications appear on their phone. Add to this a fast 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the Next G network’s unsurpassed coverage and speed, and Google’s latest Android operating system for mobiles and you have one of the most responsive, intuitive and exciting smartphones to launch in 2010.”

The phone is set to become available on Telstra for free on a $60 consumer Phone Plan for 24 months, but it will also be sold free of contract for $779. It will arrive in all Telstra stores and at dealers on April 27, and users can already register their interest on the device on the carrier's website here.