First 3G Windows Mobile smartphone unveiled

Device maker HTC has introduced the world's first 3G-enabled Windows Mobile smartphone plus a Pocket PC phone with tri-band UMTS support that can be used on 3G networks globally. HTC also announced better support for end-users and channel partners in Europe in a bid to push into the enterprise market.

HTC's Mteor and the Tytn, available from late July, are the first devices to be sold under the company's own brand, but HTC said it will continue to work with carriers such as Orange and T-Mobile to deliver branded devices for their networks.

The Mteor is the first candy-bar Windows Mobile handset with 3G support, according to the firm. On top of voice capability and support for Direct Push email when used with Microsoft Exchange servers, the device adds high-speed connectivity for web browsing, and weighs just 120g.

"This is a significant step to have in such a small device, and we feel it will be a natural fit for a lot of enterprise users, said HTC's vice-president in Europe, Florian Seiche.

Meanwhile, the Tytn builds on the earlier HTC Wizard, keeping its sliding screen that conceals a full qwerty keyboard, but is a slimmer device than the earlier model. It is the first Pocket PC phone with tri-band UMTS support, enabling roaming on 3G networks in Europe, Asia and North America.

The Tytn also has Wi-Fi support, which combined with tri-band UMTS "adds attraction to it as a true mobile device that makes data transfers possible almost anywhere in the world", said Seiche. The devices have Bluetooth to connect to wireless headsets.

Both Mteor and Tytn will be available through system integrators under the HTC brand, which the company hopes will lead to its devices being used by more European enterprise firms.

Microsoft's vice-president for Mobile and Embedded Devices, Pieter Knook, said firms are now paying more attention to the capabilities of the devices they provide for their staff.

"In future, firms will start thinking about buying these devices the way they now buy PCs. The applications and capabilities inside the device will be determined by the enterprise," Knook added.

HTC has also launched a customer-facing web site to offer support, training and product information for European customers.

HTC president and chief executive Peter Chou explained the benefits of offering more direct support to customers: "It lets us provide tech support more easily, and provide a much better service."

From this autumn the firm will also start shipping accessories such as Bluetooth headsets.

See also:

Symbian OS hits century of smartphones

Symbian has been used on 100 different models and ships on 70 percent of all smartphones sold  16 May 2006

BlackBerry still leading as PDA market blooms

Vendor faces fierce competition as worldwide PDA shipments continue to rise steadily  15 May 2006

Microsoft moves business into the home

Firm uses 3GSM to announce products and tools for home workers  16 Feb 2006

T-Mobile MDA Compact II

This PDA phone has a new operating system, but little else has changed  14 Feb 2006

O2 Xda Mini

The slide-out Qwerty keyboard is useful, but the operating system can be slow  19 Jan 2006

Orange SPV runs Win Mobile 5.0

Wireless handheld with 3G and GPRS  22 Sep 2005

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