The HTC Smart: a new type of smartphone

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today we announced with HTC that we’d be launching their new phone, the Smart, in Germany, Ireland and the UK. But what’s the HTC Smart all about and why are we selling it?

As the home of smartphones, we know the power that world-class smartphones can give the people who use them. Whether it’s being able to browse the web on the go – great for people like us who needed to know what ingredients go into pancakes while shopping last night – or updating Facebook and Twitter wherever you are, smartphones can help make a whole range of everyday tasks easier.

All these great features can appear confusing if someone’s never used a smartphone however – the price tag that comes with them can put people off too. That’s where the HTC Smart is different, giving people the chance to take their first steps on the smartphone ladder.

Just ask Peter Chou, the Chief Executive Officer of HTC. “More and more people are craving advanced mobile phone experiences with email, web browsing and social networking but the cost and complexity often represent a significant obstacle for many. The HTC Smart introduces this functionality in an intuitive phone that is affordable.”

Although it’s competitively priced and aimed at first-time smartphone users, the HTC Smart isn’t lacking in the features you’d expect from a smartphone. Bluetooth, 2.8 inch finger friendly touch screen, 3 megapixel camera, the works. It’ll also accept microSD memory cards and play a wide variety of music and video files.

“We believe this is a key move in our ability to bring smartphones to a far wider cross section of the population,” said Matthew Key, chief executive officer of Telefónica Europe. “The benefits of web browsing on the move and ability to experience applications like mobile social networking will now be brought to the mass market and reinforces O2's position as the home of the smartphone.”

The HTC Smart will be coming to O2 in April – watch out for more news before then. To see more information on the HTC Smart, head to HTC's site.