HTC Touch2 smart phone launched

       Taiwan-based HTC has launched the Touch2 smart phone in the Thai market, with a target to sell 50,000 units in the next 12 months.
       The Touch2 is the latest version of the HTC Touch, 50,000 of which have been sold locally in two and a half years. The Touch2 is HTC's fighting model, with which it aims to regain momentum in the Thai market for smart phones.
       HTC (Thailand) country manager Nattawat Woranopkul said the highlight of the new model was that it is the first smart phone bundled with the Microsoft Mobile 6.5 operating system, as well as being equipped with social-networking features such as Facebook, Twitter and Windows Live.
       He said that with its competitive price of Bt16,900 (including value-added tax), the HTC Touch2 will be the company's flagship product for the rest of the year.
       "We will launch two more models: one for Windows Mobile and another for the Android platform. Currently, there are 12 HTC models on the Windows Mobile platform and only two - Magic and Hero - on Android," said Nattawat.
       HTC targets overall revenue this year of Bt1.5 billion, up from Bt1.2 billion last year.
       He said that even though for a couple months it seemed the market momentum was going the way of other brands - notably iPhone and BlackBerry - from now on the momentum will return to HTC because of the new model with Windows Mobile 6.5.
       Moreover, the Touch2 is specially designed to meet the needs of customers demanding social-networking connections, he added.
       Somchai Sitthichaisrichart, managing director of SiS Distribution (Thailand) - HTC's local distributor - said the fact that there were now more players in the smart-phone market was good for consumers. But for HTC, its strength is based on Windows Mobile, on which Microsoft is working to rebrand and relaunch its strategy.
       "We admit we were not happy with our growth for a couple months, as we had expected much higher sales. However, we still have growth in double digits, although it is less than that of the market," he said.
       HTC (Thailand) this year expects to grow by less than 30 per cent, while the smart-phone market is expected to grow by 30 to 40 per cent.
       "The smart-phone market in Thailand still has a lot of room for growth as it is currently about 20,00 units per month, while total mobile-phone sales are around 700,000 to 800,000 per month. But the market for traditional mobile phones is showing flat growth, and is likely to fall further," said Somchai.