Gigabyte Communications begins shipping touch-UI smartphones

Gigabyte Communications has begun shipping smartphones featuring its own touch-based user interface. The MW702 and MS802 have already started shipping to Hungary, and the company plans to also launch the MS802 in the Taiwan market in October, according to market sources.

The MW702 and MS802 both run on the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform and support EDGE and HSDPA, the sources noted.

Global sales of touch screen handsets are expected to top 90 million units in 2008, accounting for 7% of global handset sales for the year, according to data from Strategy Analytics.