HTC to Work on a Pre-Killer Touchphone

HTC is reported to plan on releasing a new touchphone sometime in the second quarter of this year, at least this is what a senior executive of Telstra is reported to have stated. According to the news on the web, the device has been developed through a combination of Linux-based software written by HTC and the Google Android operating system.

In addition to this, the handset it touted to feature the largest screen ever offered by HTC. From what the Telstra official is reported to have said, the phone should prove a powerful competitor for Apple's iPhone and for the new Pre device unveiled by Palm. It seems that, after seeing the new Pre, executives from Telstra said that the HTC phone should be “better and more functional.”

“We have seen both and we believe that the new HTC phone will be a real competitor to the iPhone and the Pre which at this stage looks nice but is still not delivered to market,” the Telstra officials seem to have stated. At the same time, HTC refused to comment on the new phone slated for a second quarter release.

The fact that Palm's Pre handset has been considered for comparison with a device in preparation might be good news for the company. The maker went through rather difficult times lately, and it needed a strong product to bring it back in the game. It seems that it finally managed to release such a device, Pre, which is expected to take on Apple's iPhone.

The phone running the company's new webOS won Palm the best product award in the mobile phone and smartphone category at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Moreover, the device was also called the “Best in Show” and is stated to have received the highest number of votes in a “people's choice” Internet poll.