There's nothing like closing the barn door after the horse is out, but AT&T has officially announced the HTC Pure, which actually hit stores Sunday. Also announced, finally, was the Tilt 2, the Touch Pro 2 follow up to the Fuze or the original Tilt, depending on how you want to look at it. Both of the phones have (or will have, for the Tilt 2) Windows Mobile 6.5 on board from the get-go.
The Pure is available now, as we said, for $149.99 after contract and rebate. The Tilt Pro 2 "will be available in the coming weeks" — we've seen that Oct. 18 rumor floating around — for $299.99 after contract and rebate.
Full presser after the break.
AT&T* and HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile phones, today announced the upcoming availability of the HTC Tilt™ 2 and the HTC PURE™ with Windows® Mobile 6.5. The HTC PURE delivers a touch screen experience in an alluring, compact form factor, and the HTC Tilt 2 features the convenience of a tilting touch screen combined with the practicality of a slide out full QWERTY keyboard.
Powered by the nation's fastest 3G network and the Windows phone platform, the HTC Tilt 2 and HTC PURE deliver an enhanced TouchFLO® 3D interface on a large vibrant touch screen that makes navigation intuitive and rich while enabling smooth access to desktop like web browsing. Both devices embody HTC's approach to put people at the center of the communications experience by providing full access to voice, text, or email in a single contact view, regardless of whether voice, text or email was used. This view can be accessed from the contact card or in the in-call screen during a phone conversation, ensuring the latest conversations are always at hand.
"As one of the first carriers to support Windows Mobile 6.5 in the U.S. and the largest distributor of Windows phones worldwide, AT&T has a long history of leadership in smartphones and Windows Mobile," said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "Twice as many smartphone users choose AT&T over any other carrier and the HTC Tilt 2 and HTC PURE will lead our Windows phone lineup into 2010."
AT&T will support Windows Marketplace for Mobile in 2009 for access to a variety of applications on new AT&T devices, including the HTC PURE and HTC Tilt 2. Additionally, AT&T customers' purchases from Windows Marketplace can be added to their monthly statements. After Microsoft delivers Windows Marketplace later this year for other versions of Windows Mobile, AT&T will make it available to customers using those versions.
Windows Mobile 6.5 received several upgrades that enhance ease-of-use, such as a touch-friendly user interface and improved browser with Flash support. Content and applications are just a fingertip away on the redesigned Start Menu and Internet Explorer Mobile will support the rich experiences that many Web pages offer for desktop computers.
"AT&T and HTC have a long history of innovation with Windows phones," said Andy Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business. "AT&T, by bringing out the both the HTC Pure with its touch slate, and the HTC Tilt 2 with its keyboard, gives people the ability to choose a Windows phone that matches their preference."
HTC Tilt 2
Designed for the business professional, the HTC Tilt 2 is designed with distinct style and strength while delivering the most powerful productivity experience available on a mobile phone. The HTC Tilt 2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen WVGA display which can be easily tilted for an expanded viewing area and a large QWERTY keyboard, which is optimized for heavy email use. A quality speakerphone experience is enabled by dual speakers and dual microphones with advanced noise cancellation, and HTC's Straight Talk™ which allows for simplified conference calling and activation of the speakerphone by simply turning over the device. The HTC Tilt 2 also features a 3.2 megapixel camera.
HTC PURE
Leveraging HTC's TouchFLO 3D experience, the all touch screen HTC PURE offers an advanced touch experience that is optimized for one-hand use, which further evolves the compact smartphone design. Incorporating a large, brilliant 3.2-inch WVGA touch screen, the HTC PURE is crafted to fit perfectly into the hand and accentuates one's sense of style. With a crisp advanced five megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture, expandable memory, gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor, the HTC PURE brings many of the most sophisticated features to a broad consumer audience looking for the professional benefits of a smartphone, without sacrificing size, looks or functionality.
"The HTC Tilt 2 and HTC PURE are not only powerhouse devices, they also provide a natural simplicity in the way we communicate with the people in our lives whether through voice, text or email," said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. "Our desire is to put people at the center of every mobile experience, and we are pleased to work with AT&T, who shares this common vision."
Pricing and Availability
The HTC PURE is available at AT&T retail stores nationwide and online at www.wireless.att.com for $149.99. The HTC Tilt 2, will be available in the following weeks for $299.99. (For the HTC PURE, pay $199.99 and receive $50 mail-in-rebate, for the HTC Tilt 2, pay $349.99 and receive a $50 mail-in-rebate. Two-year agreement on a minimum $69.99 plan required.)
Small business customers also can subscribe to AT&T's new, industry-first BusinessTalk voice plans, which start at $60 a month for five users and 700 Anytime Minutes and can be expanded for $9.99 a line to accommodate up to 40 users and 20,000 Anytime Minutes. AT&T Music, AT&T Navigator, Video Share, Push-To-Talk and MobiTV all require separate monthly subscriptions.
