HTC Touch Diamond Sales Nearing 1 Million

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20080805PD206.html' target='_blank'>http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20080805PD206.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Unit sales of HTC Touch Diamond handsets are expected to reach the one-million mark by mid-August, less than three months after High Tech Computer (HTC) began to ship the handsets at the end of May, HTC CEO Peter Chou told reporters on August 4. It took about five months for HTC to ship up to one million units of its first touch-screen handset, the HTC Touch, noted market sources. Ch<script type="text/javascript" src="http://onesite.thoughtsmedia.com/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/themes/advanced/langs/en.js"></script>ou also reaffirmed that HTC is definitely able to reach its goal of shipping two million Touch Diamond handsets by the end of 2008. However, sources at the Taiwan handset industry speculated that HTC will eventually revise upward its shipping target for this year, and that HTC is likely to ship 2.5-3 million Touch Diamond handsets before the end of the year."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/spt/auto/1215784195.usr1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>One million this month. Two to three million by year's end. That's a lot of Touch Diamonds floating around. Think the Touch Pro will do any better?</p>

[azhiker]

Since AT&T has so far not indicated it will utilize this model, buying in from a vendor would be too cost prohibitive. With today's economy such a phone is great and comparable to the I-phone so it is on my short list, but only when my current phone and pda crash.

My only contention with the Diamond is the tiny screen for vga! A 3.5 inch would be much beter.

[alese]

I got to play with the Diamond today and it's really really nice device.
It's even smaller than I expected, design is beautiful in person and the Touch Flo is actually quite usable - I didn't find it too slow like some.

I'm really tempted, but I cant just yet replace my HTC Trinity - maybe next month and if Raphael (Touch Diamond Pro) won't be available yet I'll go with Diamond...

[Phillip Dyson]

Didn't I read somewhere that ATT stated that they would not offer anymore WM Pro devices without keyboards?

Or was that the WM Standard version?

[Duncan]

<p>One million this month. Two to three million by year's end. That's a lot of Touch Diamonds floating around. Think the Touch Pro will do any better?</p>

And it's done so despite not being in the US market, having a much more staggered release (in many variants) than the iPhone, not having the Apple zombie appeal of the iPhone (not a slight on those who like the iPhone, just on those who buy and love the iPhone just 'cos it is from Apple) and being part of a portfolio of products (Touch, Touch Dual, Touch Diamond and Touch Pro) rather than a one size fits all deal.

That must say something, though I'm not quite sure what.

[randalllewis]

I am not surprised. The Diamond is a damn cool phone and with the ROM that will ship in the upcoming US versions, the early lag issues that were never as big a deal as portrayed on the web, are gone. I have been using it since June on ATT on both coasts without an issue and the new ROM which activates the 850 band (but not 3G) does make a difference. I used see the Edge E on the top of the home page in certain urban areas but only a G in most places. Since the ROM update, E appears pretty much everywhere and signal strength has improved too. Where there were two bars there are now three, where there were three, there are now four.

Some in the US lamented that HTC rolled out the Diamond in Europe and Asia first. In the end that will work out as a plus for this market as the few flaws in Touch Flo 3D have been worked out before the Diamond goes on sale here.

[possmann]

So what is the "scoop" on this hitting the US shelves? Early next year? I assume ATT will be the carrier seeing that they appear to be most "bleeding-edge" friendly and assuming that it will have to be a GSM carrier... Why CDMA still exists when 80% of the world is on GSM frequencies I will never know - but that is another post...

Still I would like to play with this - hold it in my hands and see what all the buzz is about. I am getting tired of feeling locked in to Verizon; being stuck with the lame decisions they make and the uber-conservative phone offerings and roll-out plans for power users. I am happy with the coverage but I have to believe that ATT is getting better with their coverage too...

So what is the scoop/rumor? When will we see this phone at a US carrier?
Those who have this phone (in the US) which source did you use to purchase it? Expansys?

Thanks

[Duncan]

So what is the scoop/rumor? When will we see this phone at a US carrier?Those who have this phone (in the US) which source did you use to purchase it? Expansys?

HTC Touch Diamond headed to Telus on August 14th - Engadget Mobile (http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/08/06/htc-touch-diamond-headed-to-telus-on-august-14th/)

More details on HTC's Touch Diamond / Touch Pro for Verizon and Sprint - Engadget Mobile (http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/08/05/more-details-on-htcs-touch-diamond-touch-pro-for-verizon-and/)

[randalllewis]

So what is the scoop/rumor? When will we see this phone at a US carrier?
Those who have this phone (in the US) which source did you use to purchase it? Expansys?


In addition to the links above, there have been reports about FCC approval of a GSM version of the Diamond for US availability. I would expect a phone as good looking as the Diamond to be on T-Mobile or ATT's list in time for the holidays.

And, by the way, whatever happened to Jason's review of the Diamond?

[Duncan]

In addition to the links above, there have been reports about FCC approval of a GSM version of the Diamond for US availability. I would expect a phone as good looking as the Diamond to be on T-Mobile or ATT's list in time for the holidays.

Both GSM *and* CDMA versions of both the Touch Diamond *and* Touch Pro/Raphael have received FCC certification.

[randalllewis]

The point that there is a CDMA version of the Diamond coming had already been made. I was responding to the comment possman about wanting a GSM version.

But more importantly, again, where is Jason's review of his Diamond?

[palewar]

Well HTC Shipment figures are surely impressive but I remember reading somewhere that iPhone 3G sold 1 million units in just 3 days after its launch. However orginal iPhone 1 million shipments came in 74 days. So if TouchPRO wants to beat iPhone's record, HTC knows what sort of numbers they are looking at.

[Duncan]

Well HTC Shipment figures are surely impressive but I remember reading somewhere that iPhone 3G sold 1 million units in just 3 days after its launch. However orginal iPhone 1 million shipments came in 74 days. So if TouchPRO wants to beat iPhone's record, HTC knows what sort of numbers they are looking at.

The iPhone 3G did do that, yes, but context is everything. Apple ensured that there were large numbers of units available for the launch, they hyped up the product so that people would queue for it and want it straight away, then they launched simultaneously in a large number of markets.

The fairer comparison with the HTC Diamond sales would be the first iPhone, where like the Diamond its release in various markets was staggered, and subject to some delays and unavailablity even in markets where it was released.

[possmann]

Thanks for the links - reading this one just put the nail in the coffin for Verizon for me...

"As for Verizon's, expect it to boast half the RAM (128MB), a wimpier CPU, ..."

UGH!

I was really hoping to hear any news about the first GSM based carrier that would include this in their offering... Anyone?

[Jason Dunn]

And, by the way, whatever happened to Jason's review of the Diamond?

Yeah, um, sorry about that. :o I got the Diamond a bit after all my fellow Mobius members, so I didn't have the first-strike going for me, so I opted to use it for a while first - and then I got wrapped up in all sorts of other video reviews...and never filmed the second half of the Diamond video.

Hopefully this week I'll publish further thoughts on the Diamond. :)