The HD7 will launch at $768 exclusive to Telstra Next G’s network on Tuesday 29 March. It will also be available to pay off over a 24-month contract, but Telstra were cagey about the pricing details at the launch.
The phone’s major selling point is a 4.3-inch screen, with crisp definition for photos, videos and gaming. Billed as “the ultimate multimedia experience”, the phone has a kickstand for hands-free viewing (so bring your charger!).
From a business perspective, the major advantage is seamless integration with Microsoft Exchange and Calendar through Microsoft Office. But while the new Windows 7 phone has all the capability of competitors Apple and Android, it has a long way to go to catch up in terms of app development. Currently, there are just over 10,000 apps in Microsoft Marketplace, compared to Apple’s 350,000 for iPhone and Android’s 290,000.
Sheau-Lan Reed, director of Mobile Communications Business for Microsoft Australia, says there is great momentum in Microsoft for mobile and Marketplace is growing by over 100 apps a day. She quickly dismissed her competitors’ head start, making it clear Microsoft wasn’t content to stay behind Apple and Android in the smartphone market. “I personally came into the business to be a leader and be a winner. There is no option for number two.”
Acting director of Telstra Mobility Products Andrew Volard said the HD7 was about extending the range of Windows products on offer at Telstra. “We see there’s a massive place in the market for phones running Windows 7.” He stressed HTC had listened to user feedback and the new device allowed users to delete the TelstraOne entertainment platform if they desired. But he said most users called back after a few weeks and asked how to reinstall the TelstraOne platform. “We created TelstraOne experience especially for Windows 7.”
Country manager of HTC Australia and New Zealand Ben Hodgson used the launch to demonstrate how he uses the phone on a daily basis. With all of HTC’s “DNA” and Telstra’s capability, Hodgson said, the phone really is “the ultimate multimedia experience”. He said HD7’s user-centric interface made it easy for users to “glance-and-go”.
He added the phone was a real showcase for the partnership between Telstra, Microsoft and HTC, with the best all three companies had to offer rolled into one device.
The HD7 sits somewhere between Blackberry and Apple in its mix of business and pleasure capabilities. There is an emphasis on its integrated gaming capabilities, perhaps for businesspeople to switch off with on the commute home. “HTC HD7 arrives at a time when Aussies are increasingly turning to their smartphones for entertainment and gaming,” Volard said. “They’re going to love the HTC HD7’s huge screen for playing video or streaming YouTube.”
The key features of HTC HD7 are:
- Windows Phone 7 Operating System
- 4.3 inch touch screen with 480×800 resolution
- 5.0 megapixel colour camera with auto focus and LED flash
- 720p HD video recording to capture film with incredible quality and detail
- Xbox LIVE gaming so you can continue playing your games from home to the office.
