HTC to launch at least three Android handsets in China in 2009

HTC (High Tech Computer) and its China marketing partner Dopod will launch at least three Android-powered handsets in the China market in 2009, including WCDMA-enabled HTC Hero and HTC Click, according to sources at Dopod and other market sources.

Dopod will launch the HTC Hero and HTC Click in cooperation with China Unicom, with the HTC Hero to be available in late August at 5,600 yuan (US$649) and HTC Click in the fourth quarter at 3,400 yuan, Jackie Zhang, marketing director of Dopod, has revealed.

Dopod's third Android-powered handset for the China market this year will be a TD-SCDMA-enabled model that will be launched in cooperation with China Mobile, according to market sources, who also noted that the TD-SCDMA handset may also be built on Open Mobile System (OMS) platform developed by China Mobile.

Dopod also plans to cooperate with China Telecom to launch CDMA EV-DO-enabled handsets, but the plan may be pushed back to 2010 as HTC has rescheduled its shipments of Android-powered CDMA handsets to US-based carriers from late 2009 to 2010, said the market sources.

The HTC-Dopod pair also plans to launch 5-7 Android handsets in China in 2010, the sources added.