Taipei: Taiwan's HTC Corp is launching five new Windows phone 7 smartphones, showing its commitment to continue making Windows mobile-based models even though its Android phones have proven to be a hit recently.
The new line of HTC smartphones, along with new Windows phones from other brands including Samsung and LG will start to appear in stores later this month in Europe, and in November in the United States, as part of Microsoft's efforts to reclaim its prominence in the smartphone market.
Earlier this month, HTC reported a near doubling in third quarter earnings thanks to new models and its push into phones for Google's Android operating system.
HTC has been making Windows-based phones in the past decade even though the free Andriod operating system fast becomes the preferred choice of many low-end smartphone makers.
"Microsoft's advantage is on professional users and Android is popular with individual consumers," said UBS analyst Arthur Hsieh, who rated HTC a "buy".
Around 0433 GMT, HTC shares fell 2 percent while the main TAIEX share index was off 1.3 percent. However, the stock hit an all-time high last month.
UBS set a 12-month target share price on HTC at T$882, implying about a quarter higher than the current level.
HTC is battling for the position of fourth-largest smartphone maker with much larger cellphone maker Samsung Electronics. Other bigger rivals are Nokia Oyj, Blackberry maker Research in Motion and iPhone maker Apple Inc.
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