25th March 2010 - The first ever 4G mobile phone billed as a major rival for the iPhone and Google Nexus One has been unveiled at a trade show in the U.S.
The HTC Evo 4G features a 4.3-inch LCD screen, 30 per cent bigger than the iPhone, an eight megapixel camera with flash and up to 33 gigabytes of memory.
One of the new phones features means it can act as an internet 'hub' for up to eight devices at the same time.
Rival: The HTC Evo 4G, produced by Sprint Nextel, is the first 4G phone and is expected to be strong competition for the iPhone and Google Nexus
No release date has been set, but the phone is expected to hit the U.S. market over the summer.
It has been designed by Sprint Nextel, the same company behind the Google Nexus One, and is its first 4G phone but the firm has not given it a guide price.
The Evo 4G uses Android 2.1 software and features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. It supports 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and also contains a front-facing 1.3 mega pixel video camera capable of HD video recording.
The download speed of a 4G phone is far superior to the current leading models.
It is unlikely to be sold in the UK in its current form, but could be released in Europe after further testing is carried out on download speeds and system performance.
The news comes as rival Apple announced it will include iPhones with bigger and brighter screens for services like mobile video.
Ultra fast: The Evo 4G features an 8 mega pixel camera, 4.3-inch LCD screen and the capability to link eight devices simultaneously to the internet
Jeff Bradley, senior vice president overseeing devices at the company, said: 'We'll have those kind of devices with those kinds of capabilities in the portfolio.
'There's a definite trend towards big, vivid displays.'
On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics also launched its new phone called Galaxy S which also features brighter display technology.
The announcements, which took place at the CTIA trade show in Las Vegas, U.S., are likely to increase the intense competition for touch-screen mobile phone technology.
AT&T, which exclusively provides the iPhone in the U.S., said some customers would also be able to watch TV shows on their phones by streaming them from their digital video recorders at home. - http://www.dailymail.co.uk
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Competition: The Evo 4G will increase the fierce competition in the mobile phone market already dominated by Apple's iPhone, left, and Google's Nexus One