Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/30/o2_preps_xda_iq/
UK cellco O2 is preparing to extend its XDA smart-phone line-up with a model designed around the traditional candybar form-factor rather than the more PDA-styled devices the range has so far delivered, the company told Reg Hardware today.
The new handset, the XDA IQ, will ship in April, a company spokesman said, but we understand it will go on sale sooner rather than later.
At this stage, O2 was unable to provide any further details, but we understand the IQ will be based on Windows Mobile 5.0 and is likely to ship with Microsoft's push email extensions already installed. The device is believed to be based on HTC's 'Tornado', so it's likely to use a 200MHz TI OMAP 850 processor, incorporate 64MB of RAM and 64MB of ROM, feature 802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 1.2 connectivity, and sport a 2.2in, 240 x 320, 65,536-colour display. It has a 1.3 megapixel camera.
Like other Tornado models, such as the imate SP5 and the Vodafone v1240, the IQ is quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE device.
O2 already offers the XDA SP, it's first own-brand candybar smart phone, though that's a Windows Mobile 2003-based handset with 32MB of RAM and no Wi-Fi. The IQ is be an obvious successor, but there's no word on whether the SP will be phased out when the IQ launches.
The IQ appears to be the UK version of the XDA Orion said to be offered by O2 Asia Pacific, though not currently listed on its website.
O2 would not confirm the IQ's pricing, but we expect it to cost around £100 exc. VAT with a business-oriented contract or £195 exc. VAT as an upgrade. ®
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