HTC unveils first 4G smartphone

Washington - US carrier Sprint and Taiwan's HTC unveiled a new smartphone on Tuesday called the HTC Evo 4G designed to take advantage of faster next-generation wireless technology.

Sprint said the touchscreen device, powered by Google's open-source Android mobile operating system, will be available this summer and will be the first handset to run on Sprint's 4G, or fourth-generation, broadband networks.

Sprint currently offers its WiMax 4G services in 27 US cities and has plans to expand to other US markets. It claims download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.

"Sprint 4G speeds will take mobile multimedia, including live video streaming, gaming and picture downloads, to a whole new level," Sprint chief executive Dan Hesse said in a statement.

"This combination of HTC and Sprint innovation will allow people to do even more while on the go, faster than ever on the Sprint 4G network," HTC chief executive Peter Chou said.

The HTC Evo 4G boasts dual cameras, a feature designed to allow for video conversations.

Sprint and HTC unveiled the HTC Evo 4G at the annual CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

- AFp