HTC is preparing some big surprises for mobile users all round the world, as the Taiwan-based Windows Mobile handset manufacturer will release several new high-end devices that can easily stand besides most of the advanced mobile devices currently on the market.

Rumors about an HTC Diamond and an HTC Raphael have been going around for several months now, but only recently have the handsets been confirmed. Both devices run on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 and are powered by Qualcomm MSM 7201A processors at 528 MHz.

HTC Diamond has no hardware keypad and, apparently, it features a 2.8 inch TFT display with a VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels), eGPS (enhanced GPS), a 3 Megapixel camera with flash and video, 7.2MB HSDPA / HSUPA connectivity, Wi-Fi, 4GB of internal memory, orientation sensor and so on. HTC Diamond is said to be very slim, measuring only 99 x 51 x 10.7 millimeters. According to Taipei Times, Mr. Cheng Hui-Ming, one of HTC's executives, said about the Diamond that it will be the company's most important release in 2008, so we should expect a really cool device.

HTC Diamond will be first available in the US, via T-Mobile, under the name of T-Mobile MDA Compact IV, for an unknown (but surely high) price.

HTC Raphael has about the same features as the Diamond, except that it doesn't have a 4GB built-in memory, but it packs a full QWERTY sliding keyboard and TV-out. Because of these extra features, Raphael comes in a thicker case, measuring 99 x 51 x 17 millimeters. The device is said to be the successor of HTC TyTN II, also known as HTC Kaiser.

HTC Dream, the first device to run on Google's Android platform, will also be released soon, but its specifications are not known for the moment. Another HTC to be launched in the near future is the so called "Titanium", or HTC Touch Dual Pro, being the successor of HTC Touch Dual.

All, or at leas some of the above mentioned handsets will be officially presented on the 6th of May, in London, during an event where the Taiwanese company invites everyone to "witness the next wave of HTC innovation". Well, we'll be waiting for the 6th of May then.