HTC
Touch

The HTC Touch used the Windows Mobile 6.0 Classic operating system and was differentiated from other Windows Mobile devices through the addition of the HTC-developed ‘TouchFLO’ technology which provided a three-dimensional user interface incorporating contacts, media and applications. It was the first product to be sold in Asia under the HTC brand and it was ranged by Orange in Europe. T-Mobile offered an own-branded, fully customized version of the Touch across key European markets known as the MDA Touch. Vodafone sold the device as the VPA Touch. The Touch represented HTC’s most consumer focussed product to date and signalled its intention to evolve its customer base beyond ‘prosumer’ and business segments where its premium smartphones and PDAs had largely been positioned to date. At the time, it was an important addition to the portfolio and underlined HTC’s capability with regards to hardware and software differentiation and integration. It was the first product where HTC had used its substantial software capabilities and close relationship with Microsoft to make its own major improvements to the platform. Although HTC’s partners have made their own distinct additions to the user interface (notably Palm which had innovated in a number of areas) this was typically limited to the home screen rather than broader changes and innovation across multiple application functions. In contrast HTC’s ‘TouchFLO’, which it had been developing for two years, was highly capable and deeply integrated with the Windows Mobile platform. A good example of this was the ability to finger scroll through documents, emails or Web pages, something that had not been available to customers at that point as the iPhone had not started shipping.