HTC's Opal set to replace the aging Touch?

Is this supposed HTC Opal the followup to last year's trailblazing HTC Touch? According to what looks like an internal HTC document gone viral, the Opal will run HTC's newest TouchFLO 3D UI band-aid for WinMo 6.1 atop the same TI OMAP 850 proc already powering the Touch. Looking a bit deeper reveals quad-band GSM / EDGE with the same WiFi, MicroSD slot, Bluetooth 2.0, 2 megapixel camera, and 2.8-inch 240 x 320 pixel touchscreen found in the aged Touch handset. Only HTC, with its Touch Diamond, Touch Pro, Dream, and Xperia X1 can force a flagship device down-market so quickly.

[Via coolsmartphone]

[Canoo @ Sep 9th 2008 8:14AM]

wait? it has the same proc as the old touch or one of the new ones? because my old touch was slow as balls

[Hush @ Sep 9th 2008 8:16AM]

Slows as balls maybe. You can overclock it to 247 for a more speedy reliable experience. It still ain't "fast" by any means but it's faster. As far as the Opal goes I think I'll just wait for XDA to rip the interface for my OG Touch. Maybe had they made the two pin buttons more pronounced like the Ted Baker version I'd consider it. But not in this for. Although I do like this form better than the Diamond form. Too bad this didn't have all the Diamond specs.

[Nick @ Sep 9th 2008 9:39AM]

I actually have my Touch overclocked to 273 all the time (it make my video files run quite smoothly. I surprised though that they are keeping all the same specs. WM 6.1 will help the device run a bit faster and help the battery, but that's not much of an improvement if they are planning on slapping on TouchFLO 3D. The Touch is a solid phone, but maybe they are just trying to get into a low end WM device market. It they can get carriers in the states to pick this up and sell it for $100, sale should skyrocket.

http://htcsource.com

[John @ Sep 9th 2008 8:15AM]

I dunno.. it has kind of an HTC Victor look to the back side. I guess if they want more marketshare they have to have more low end devices.

[app @ Sep 9th 2008 8:18AM]

Well keep trying HTC, one day you might just come somewhere close to beating the iPhone. It’s not likely though, the iPhone is the device to beat. I fail to see, why anyone would accept anything less than an iPhone. I mean what is the point?

[Muhammad-Oli @ Sep 9th 2008 8:30AM]

You're taking your Apple fanboyism way too far. If you took time to go out of your Apple filled house into the real world to breath some fresh air, you may stumble across products made by other companies, and what's this? They're better than Apple products? And guess what! It wouldn't be the end of the world either!

If you think the iPhone is the best phone in the world you've got another thing coming. The only thing that phone has that other phones don't already have is the interface, and its not like other brands' interfaces are unusable.

Here's a point for not accepting the iPhone: Its ridiculous price for what you get! Ha!

No video recording my ass.

[chickenator @ Sep 9th 2008 9:09AM]

htc fanboy spotted!

[crow610 @ Sep 9th 2008 12:32PM]

I'm just glad I can copy and paste...

[Muhammad-Oli @ Sep 9th 2008 8:24AM]

Well if they had updated the appearance a bit to be more in line with the Touch Pro, rather than keeping almost the exact same looks, then maybe I wouldn't think its crap.

[TareX @ Sep 9th 2008 8:29AM]

It's a low-res Win 6.1 which also looks chubby, I don't think it will survive that long. Part of the beauty of TouchFLO 3D was the hi-res screens showing off its eye candy.

Also, please, Sony Ericsson designed the Xperia X1 down to its finest details. HTC just "built" it. I'm not an X1 fan at all but give credit where credit is due.

[Hugh @ Sep 9th 2008 10:47AM]

Completely agree, same deal with the Treo Pro. Design is different than building.

[HTCMogul.Info @ Sep 9th 2008 8:31AM]

Is it just me, or does the screen look like it is inlaid rather than flush with the device?

[Der_Hexer @ Sep 9th 2008 8:45AM]

That is, what I was thinking... Kind of a step back, i think. It bugged me big times on my Orbit and I felt it was a wise step to change this on the touch.

[DssTrainer @ Sep 9th 2008 8:58AM]

If its inset then this phone can go straight into the garbage with the rest of the Treos before the centro.. That inset screen is just garbage... Collects Dust and finger gunk, and makes it impossible to touch the screen with finger.

FLUSHSCREEN 4 EVER!

[demonic_pascal @ Sep 9th 2008 8:34AM]

I wonder how long it will be before someone says "OMG t3h Xperia is made bY sONY nOt hTC!!!"

On topic, this is interesting to see HTC release a low end device in the Touch family. According to the article it runs TouchFLO 3D? With the Diamond having issues with it, I'd like to see if the lower resolution is enough to counterbalance the lower hardware specs to keep things running smoothly...

[Mike @ Sep 9th 2008 9:16AM]

There are no issue with. Please read some more articles that are a little more up to date concerning updates to the rom, etc.

But yes, unless it has amazing drivers in it I don't see how it will run nicely, unless they have made a "2D" version, like what is seen on xda developers.

[Harrie Nak @ Sep 9th 2008 8:53AM]

Ditch the proc!

[Auras @ Sep 9th 2008 9:22AM]

WHAT? No 3G/HSPA ?

[Broo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:38AM]

I wonder why they didn't at least use the 400 MHz Qualcomm MSM7500 that is in the Sprint version of the HTC touch?

[YOYO @ Sep 9th 2008 10:06AM]

and this y 80% of the comment posted by apple fanboys r worthless
almost no apple fan boy ever look at the spec of any thing the
first thing out of your moth is always about how it looks

iphone cant do half of what my 2 year palm can do but its
revolutionary don't get

at&t one of the worst cell phone serveries there is every 1
use to bitch about them oh wait apple came long put there iphone on it
and now it best company there is i actually heard people defending at&t
it scary but they do

and i remember when 3g first cam out and it sucked and every 1
bitch about it how slow it was and how crappy it was and still do
by the way
and yes whether iphone nuts like it or not cdma evdo network
in the us is way more wide spread and way faster the 3g its a fact
unless u r standing right net to a 3g tower none of u cant touch me on
evdo network using your 3g iphone whats the point of a data
phone as advanced as the iphone when it a on a crippled net know to the us
as 3g its not even deployed in more then half of the country
maybe apple should had v8 dumb asses



look at all the dam complaints about the iphone look at all the
dam firmware updates they sent out since launch trying to fix it
haven't u apple nuts goting the clue that's something wrong with dam
thing and apple doesn't seam to know how to fix it


but oh no this apple nut actuly said if they updated the look i
wouldn't think it so crappy yeah well that crappy little phone
with its limit updating they done to it
all ready beats your iphone get use to it


the only thing the iphone did for the smart phone mark is bring more
attention to and make other company update there shit that's
about as revolutionary as they got with it until it can do what
some basic phone have done for years it a weak good looking phone on
crap network

all the iphone is an ipod that make a phone call it no where near a
smart phone

[doomster @ Sep 9th 2008 11:25AM]

you should really just ignore the apple fan boys, they're just retards who want to flame the comment system. *you* don't own an iPhone, therefore you haven't wasted any of your money on one. They have. Who cares? If they want to spend money lining Apples pockets let them, it doesn't effect you in any way does it. Next year a new iPhone will come out (iPhone : CnP) that has a couple more features and all the fan boys will go and spunk another months wages to get the upgrade. You on the other hand can save your months wages for a more useful gadget, and you can be happy in the knowledge that while they are flaming comment boards with fanatical apple love, you've spent your money wisely and have had the better deal.

[itouchmyself @ Sep 9th 2008 11:00AM]

the evil apple strikes again! id seriously wait for something a little more "thinner" ^_^
just wait till the "qadrabyte" comes into play! XD
i can see the headlines now!
"QUADRABYTE term LEAKED!"
LMFAO
"what will they think of next?!"

[Mike Stuart @ Sep 9th 2008 2:52PM]

I love how if anyone says anything with the word iPhone in it they're a fan boy. I think the iPhone clearly leads all hand held devices. And guess what - I don't have one and won't ever get one unless it ends up on Verizon. AT&T is unreliable where I live.
What do I have - the Moto Q9m. It's a great phone!

[henry @ Sep 10th 2008 11:40AM]

I thought the Diamond was the Replacement to the Touch