HTC 7 Pro - Successor to the HTC Touch Pro 2
HTC 7 Pro Preview
HTC has launched an impressive line up of Windows Phone 7 powered devices, one of which is the HTC 7 Pro. Set to release in the U.S. under Sprint, the HTC 7 Pro is the successor to the HTC Touch Pro 2. The naming convention change was seen for other HTC phones announced, such as the successor to the HD2, the HD7. The HTC 7 Pro has the design attributes of the previous HTC Touch Pro phones while adding a touch of the new Windows Phone 7 required designs. In conjunction with Windows Phone 7, the HTC 7 Pro has the hardware to take on the extremely competitive and saturated U.S. handset market.
Rumored HTC 7 Pro Specifications:
- Dimensions: 117mm x 59 mm x 15.5 mm (4.62 inches x 2.32 inches x 0.61 inches)
- Weight: 6.47 ounces (183.5 grams)
- Display: 3.6 inch touchscreen display, 480x800 pixels
- OS: Windows Phone 7
- Processor: 1 GHz
- Memory: Internal 16 GB
- Connectivity: CDMA Dual Band (800/1900 Mhz)
- Data: 1xEV-DO rev.A/WiMAX (Sprint’s 4g)
- Camera: 5 megapixel, autofocus w/ LED flash
- Battery: Lithium Ion, 1500 mAh
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP
HTC 7 Pro Expectations
The HTC Touch Pro series of phones still has extremely loyal fans, many people still use the original HTC Touch Pro or the newer HTC Touch Pro 2. This dedication is due to the ability to really customize the phones in conjunction with a solid design, long lasting materials, and the extremely handy physical keyboard. The HTC 7 Pro is no different, having solid design, high quality materials, and the physical keyboard that represents the HTC Touch Pro handsets.
The HTC 7 Pro will be the first Windows Phone 7 handset from Sprint that will be 4G (WiMax) capable, and most likely will be the 3rd handset from Sprint overall that can utilize their 4G network. This blazingly new and fast network speed will only help to really push and sell the HTC 7 Pro. The design of the HTC 7 Pro caters to the older HTC Touch Pro users, while also being able to grab the newer generation of smartphone users. The physical keyboard addition makes the HTC 7 Pro a great contender to the Samsung Epic 4G on Sprint’s own network, or the Verizon Motorola Droid, or even the recently released T-Mobile HTC G2.
The hardware specs are also not something to be taken lightly. The 1 GHz processor is enough to compete
with the likes of other competitive phones, including the AT&T Samsung Captivate, or Verizon’s Motorola Droid X. The biggest unknown factor currently is the operating system, Windows Phone 7. One has to wonder how popular Windows Phone 7 will become. Palm’s WebOS was supposed to revolutionize the way people thought of the Palm Pre, and was heavily hyped, but that ultimately ended up as a flop for Sprint. The HTC 7 Pro has a possibility of falling in that same pit, introducing a whole new operating system in a market that is saturated with various versions of Android and iOS (iPhone) is a huge risk, not only for the carriers, but for HTC as well.
On the flipside, HTC took a huge risk by pushing Android out, but at the end of the day, many people associate Android phones with HTC. They’ve done a fantastic job marketing their phones and creating high quality smartphones with Android. The HTC 7 Pro has a huge chance of the being one of the original Windows Phone 7 devices that sparks a new generation of smartphones.
