HTC report says Touch Diamond is coming to Sprint this month

Don't rule out the possibility that this is a complete and utterly disgusting fib, but a recent writeup in The China Post about HTC's financial situation very clearly states when the hotly-anticipated Touch Diamond is coming to Sprint: this month. If you're looking for the play-by-play, the article proclaims that the "company released its Diamond phone in Asia in June and will begin selling the handset through Sprint Nextel Corp. in August." Look, we've seen a CDMA version of this thing donning Sprint garb, we've watched it fall into the capable hands of the FCC and we know it has to arrive sometime. If all of this doesn't add up to Sprint getting the Touch Diamond in August, well, we'll let you do the math.

[Thanks, Sumit]

[Tarek Ajam @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:25PM]

Hells yeah!

[Fozzy Bear @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:43PM]

yes, this will be amazing... the disappointing touch comes to a disappointing network creating a synergy of disappointment for the few customer sprint has left....

utterly fail.

[Pengadget @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:38PM]

One of the best phones going to one of the worst providers... Doesnt that happen all the time

[Techie @ Aug 3rd 2008 5:31PM]

Samsung Omni 900 anyone? Sony Ericson X1? It's not too late guys!

[jaalin @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:25PM]

possible to unlock this thing yet?

[Tony @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:57PM]

You can already buy the GSM version unlocked.

[Joel @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:48PM]

If you purchase an unlocked GSM version for use in the USA then you won't have 3G speeds. Currently these units do not have the american 3G band.

[poematik14 @ Aug 2nd 2008 11:01PM]

I saw unlocked GSM versions on ebay for like 800 bucks last month.

[ShogunMaster @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:26PM]

That's awesome and everything, but where's my Touch Pro? Or my X-1? These are the questions that haunt me...

[Steffen Jobbs @ Aug 2nd 2008 9:43PM]

The Touch Pro and Experia X-1 have been withdrawn from the smartphone market ahead of production. Those companies decided that it was a futile effort to stop the domination of the iPhone, so they decided to go into the electric razor business by putting cutting heads on the tops of those handsets. They really believe they'll be profitable while stealing market share from Gillette and Norelco.

[matthew @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:35PM]

that was absolutely unfunny

[zach @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:26PM]

any news on diamond/pro with verizon? its been a while...

[sip @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:44PM]

I won't be able to forgive verizon if they pass up on the diamond after passing up the iphone...

[hayley @ Aug 3rd 2008 3:46PM]

screw the iphone, im glad they dont offer that junk. it'll break my heart if this phone is sprint only though =(

[David @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:27PM]

My feeling is that Apple is keeping this phone from being offered by ATT. ATT might carry the bulky Raphael/Touch Pro just because it is not a direct competitor with the iPhone, but some of us want a slimmer touch phone than iPhone, etc.

[Serge @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:11PM]

wow. only 5 posts in an engadget cell phone article till someone mentions an iphone. STFU please...

[Dave @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:54PM]

David, your feeling doesn't mean shit, because if you haven't noticed, AT&T has more power than Apple now, as shown by their new pricing model.

And if you have seen the Touch Pro, it's not that bulky at all. AT&T doesn't give two shits about what Apple wants, AT&T is concerned with keeping a diverse lineup of phones, and it wouldn't make sense to sell two very similar phones, especially when they can charge about 20% more compared to their regular service plans because people are suckers and will pay it.

[Al @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:03PM]

Dave if you are saying it makes no sense for AT&T to sell two similar phones? If so, then what is the reason they are selling the Motorola Q9 and the Blackjack II. Then there is the Curve, Nokia E61 and the two aforementioned phones, which are also similar.

[YpoCaramel @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:43PM]

AT&T also sells the LG Vu, a touch non-smartphone in the Instinct vein. Except it has (optional) mobile TV. But there's also talk that AT&T will offer the Omnia instead, and the Tilt still fills its functions well.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:25PM]

They day AT&T gets this phone, I'm ditching T-Mobile.

[Saad Rabia @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:28PM]

Although I was a huge fan who anticipated this mobile smartphone, three of my close friends who bought this phone were really disappointed in the daily base usage of its software and hardware features and I was even way more disappointed with the "sticky" touchscreen it had.

Too bad for HTC, they had a great chance, but they couldn't but bring up a buggy software with wrong hardware that annoys the shit out of even the techy guy in us!

[John Doe @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:53PM]

hope this doesnt happen with xperia and htc touch pro (which has more ram than diamond)

[Dave @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:56PM]

@Saad

Apparently your friends have not been to xda-devs in a while (if ever), because the new ROMs people have cooked make it lightening fast now.

[KilgoreTrout @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:53PM]

so true!! I used and toyed and tried out this phone on a 3 hours car trip and after that I started to love my N95 (8GB) more than ever.
It's really not fun or easy to use.
And even if at least the diamond has a nearly decent camera and can make video calls it's even worse than the iPhone 3G (which I managed to pass over to my wife).
Now I'm gonna stick with the n95 8GB until the Xperia, or the likes of samsung or LG can show me something worth the exchange.

A touch screen is a good thing if it makes things easier and/or better working , but if it's just an hassle is better not having it on your phone.
The Iphone touch screen and related software are undoubtely the best around but the rest of the phone and its feture are so dismal that the N95 , even without a touch screen is a much , much , much better thing to have at hand in any occasion and for any use. Even its screen , while lacking the "touch" feature, it's a better screen.

[hayley @ Aug 3rd 2008 3:40PM]

Like dave says, I read that you need to upgrade to the latest ROM which fixes a lot of the problems such as lagging. Also, I read that you need to program the touchscreen using the stylus for best results.

[David @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:29PM]

I meant smaller phone. iPhone and diamond are about same thickness. The iphone is a bit large otherwise though.

[Travis Toth @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:30PM]

This is good news for Sprint, hopefully it helps them get back on track. They're my favorite carrier!

[zach @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:31PM]

Just and FYI from the HTC Website:
"The HTC Touch Pro™ will be available to customers across all major European, Asian and the Middle East markets in late summer. The North American and Latin American versions of Touch Pro will be available later in 2008."

[Mark Olenski @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:39PM]

Most likely phones ship to Sprint in august for sale starting September 2nd

[CelestKixy @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:10PM]

I want my Touch Pro, dammit.

[EliteBeatsAgent08 @ Aug 2nd 2008 11:17PM]

Exactly...I couldn't care less about the Diamond. Just give me that sexy touch screen and a nice textpad and I'll be set.

A good plan would be good to.

[grull27 @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:26PM]

I would ask about Verizon but I swtiched from Verizon already to get the iPhone 3G.

[Robert @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:27PM]

i work for a sprint call enter and our info says it will be released on 9/2/08

[Pablo @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:39PM]

Any release date for the touch pro Robert????? Sprint Rocks!!!!

[cimnine @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:39PM]

Mhmm... Here in Switzerland the TOUCH Diamond is in Stores since about two or three days. (Stores of Orange, Sunrise and Swisscom. All the leading providers.) But I don't know something about the TOUCH Pro, which I am waiting for. Damn. Best regards, Chris

[Pablo @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:41PM]

HTC!!!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH BOY

[TopaZ @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:55PM]

I was torn between 800w and Touch Pro on Sprint, so "later in 2008" (which to me means "the day before New Year's Eve") is very, very disappointing.

I don't know how much longer I can put up with the slow-as-nails Moto Q9c!

[sprint lover @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:56PM]

The American version of Car Fone Warehouse has it slated to arrive on there shelves on or around the 17th of this month for Sprint

[Nathan @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:06PM]

Does anyone know if i'll be able to uprade to this with SERO?

[willxcore @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:47PM]

Yeah, this is probably the only way I will upgrade my cell phone ever. Now that the SERO plan is extinct I'm afraid Sprint might force people into new contracts with newer cell phones to weed everyone out of the SERO plan. I'm still holding out for the Touch Pro damn it.

[THJ @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:07PM]

I'd trade a SERO plan for some weed.

[mrmeigoo @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:09PM]

i work in best buy mobile and our stores will be getting it august 27th and the pro(rafael) wont be till november, so if you want the diamond itll be here later this month, but if u want the pro, u got a while to wait

[cboy007 @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:24PM]

any mentions of price???

[cesium @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:18PM]

Sweet, they finally posted something I sent them :D

[Cassini @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:46PM]

HTC can make CDMA phones all day long, as long as we have access to a North American GSM version of the Touch Pro. If they do that, we're golden!

[Cassini @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:47PM]

Oh yes, and it must be an unlocked version, too.

[Grant @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:58PM]

using a GSM phone in North America is like using tweezers to pluck your hair from your face instead of shaving. Sure, it gets the job done, but eventually your just going to get tired of how painful it is. Unless you live in a big city, GSM is super unreliable out in the suburbs and beyond.

[Cassini @ Aug 2nd 2008 9:38PM]

"using a GSM phone in North America... bla bla bla..."


Uh huh... yeah... Alrighty then, moving on...

I can hardly wait for a North American GSM Touch Pro!

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:57PM]

Could they take a worse photo than this?

[Steven @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:51AM]

Agreed. It doesn't even look like The Real Thing. Diamonds don't have curved edges.

http://www.htc.com/uploadedimages/Gallery/HTC_Touch_Diamond/3-4_left_weather.jpg