What’s this now? We’re usually keen on HTC’s future handset plans, but this one seems to have flown in under our radar and has already been approved by the FCC. The HTC Clio, folks. It’s a GSM/EDGE/HSDPA device with WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, and a pair of cameras (a higher pixel-density shooter for the serious stuff and a forward-facing camera for video calling) – but the best part is the US 3G frequency support. You read correctly, the HTC Clio will be surfing the 850Mhz and 1900Mhz HSDPA networks that we have in the States (AT&T, we’re looking at you).
Is the HTC Clio a US-spec HTC Athena, cleverly renamed like HTC loves to do? Or, is this thing the oft-rumored, but never materialized HTC Omni? We’re not sure, but by the looks of the FCC label, we’re under the impression that the HTC Clio rocks a landscape-oriented QWERTY keyboard. And, seeing as the HTC Clio is made by, well, HTC, we’re going to take a shot in the dark and say that Windows Mobile 6.0 is in the cards – perhaps the refreshed WinMo interface with dynamic high-resolution support.
Oh, and HTC’s requested that the FCC keep external photos locked-down for the time being – which makes a strong case for the HTC Clio being the HTC Omni.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this QWERTY keyboard-packing, US 3G-surfing bad-boy, so keep checking back. We’d like to see the HTC Clio launch before Christmas, but we already sent Santa our list, so we might just have to wait until next year.
[Via: Wirelessinfo]