HTC launches five new Windows phones

Taipei (Reuters): Taiwan’s HTC Corp is launching five new Windows phone 7 smartphones, showing its commitment to continue making Windows mobile-based models even though its Android phones have proven to be a hit recently.

The new line of HTC smartphones, along with new Windows phones from other brands including Samsung and LG will start to appear in stores later this month in Europe, and in November in the United States, as part of Microsoft’s efforts to reclaim its prominence in the smartphone market.

HTC has been making Windows-based phones in the past decade even though the free Andriod operating system fast becomes the preferred choice of many low-end smartphone makers.

“Microsoft’s advantage is on professional users and Android is popular with individual consumers,” said UBS analyst Arthur Hsieh, who rated HTC a “buy”.

HTC is battling for the position of fourth-largest smartphone maker with much larger cellphone maker Samsung Electronics. Other bigger rivals are Nokia Oyj, Blackberry maker Research in Motion and iPhone maker Apple Inc.