Verizon launches HTC Touch Pro 2 for $200

Verizon Wireless has joined the HTC Touch Pro 2 party. Tomorrow, the carrier will become the third U.S. operator to launch the smartphone. However, unlike Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA, Verizon is selling the phone for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Both Sprint and T-Mobile are shopping the HTC hardware for $349.99.

[1]Three of the four Tier 1 carriers--Sprint, Verizon and AT&T Mobility (as the HTC Fuze)--launched the original Touch Pro, first introduced in the fall last year.

The Touch Pro 2 has a 3.6-inch WVGA TouchFLO 3D display, a tilt-capable screen, a full keyboard and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The smartphone runs a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1; customers will eventually be able to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5 when it becomes available.

[2]In other Verizon handset news, the carrier said that it would launch the Nokia 7705 Twist, a square-shaped messaging phone that twists open to reveal a full Qwerty keypad. The Twist will be sold for $99.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate, beginning online Sept. 13 and in stores Sept. 21.

Nokia has long suffered from a weak position in the U.S. market relative to its global standing. That the company scored a position at Verizon Wireless--the nation's largest operator--lends credence to statements Nokia executives have made about boosting the company's position in the U.S. market.

For more:
- see this HTC release [1]
- see this Nokia release [3]

Related Articles:
Sprint launching HTC Touch Pro 2 for $350 [4]
T-Mobile launching HTC Touch Pro 2 Aug. 12 [5]
HTC Touch Pro 2 likely headed to T-Mobile first [6]
HTC: Touch Pro 2 coming to North America [7]