HTC Aria Goes Down Under (to Australia)

The HTC Aria isn’t one of HTC’s most popular devices, but it’s still moving right along and will be available this October for Optus. You can grab the device up for free if you opt-in to one of their two-year $49 plans (businesses or consumers). They were even nice enough to note in the press release that you’ll be spending at least $1176 over the course of your contract (pending any changes you make, of course).

HTC’s Aria is a smallish device with a lot going for it if you’re a wallet-conscious consumer. Its mid-range specs and small size makes it the perfect fit for a lot of people who don’t need a phone that can cure world hunger. It comes preinstalled with Android 2.1 and HTC Sense, but no word has been made on if it’d see an upgrade to Android 2.2 or higher in the future. Read on for the full press details.

POCKET-SIZED HTC ARIA DEBUTS WITH OPTUS IN AUSTRALIA

Sydney, Australia – September 28, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced HTC Aria – a pocket-sized dynamo which packs a punch with a five megapixel camera, a bright 3.2 inch HVGA display, and offers users Android smartphone functionality in an amazingly easy-to-carry design. Exclusive to Optus, this feature packed Android 2.1 OS smartphone is available for $0 upfront on the $49 Optus Cap plan for consumers or the $49 Business Complete Advantage plan for small business customers, both over 24 months (Minimum total cost is $1176).

“The HTC Aria’s unique combination of compact size and beautiful design instantly separates HTC Aria from other devices on the market,” said Anthony Petts, Sales and Marketing Director ANZ, HTC Corporation. “HTC Aria’s seamless wrap-around back cover eliminates sharp edges, making HTC Aria exceptionally enjoyable to carry. By putting people at the centre of everything it does, HTC Aria streamlines and organises all of your communication.”

HTC Aria features the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience, which automatically delivers the most-wanted information by bringing it to the forefront of the mobile experience, improving your interactions with your most important people. This begins with the HTC application and widget called Friend Stream that seamlessly aggregates all of your social communication including Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr into one organised flow of updates. This simple aggregation makes it easier than ever to focus on what friends are doing as well as to view the images and links that they share. In addition to Friend Stream, people can be organised into specific social circles, such as groups of friends, colleagues or any other way that makes sense.

The HTC Sense experience is also evident in the improved browser, email client, the new newsreader application and widget, as well as the seven-screen ‘Leap’ thumbnail view for quick and easy access to specific screens.

Mark Mulder, Head of Digital Products, Optus Digital Media, said “We know customers who want a great Google experience on their mobile will love the new HTC Aria. Optus already offers one of the largest ranges of Android-powered devices in Australia and the addition of the dynamic HTC Aria expands this range even further. Competitively priced at $49 per month over 24 months, our customers have the freedom to explore the features and functionality of the device and platform, backed up with a great data plan to suit their browsing needs.”

More than just a pocket – sized phone
Along with being ultra-small at just over 10 cm long and weighing a mere 115g (battery included), the HTC Aria offers a full selection of the newest and most popular Google services via the Android™ 2.1 OS. This includes Google search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube and more. With Android Market™, customers can also choose from more than 80,000 applications to further personalise the mobile experience.

Know the time and weather, wherever
The HTC Aria always keeps you on schedule and a step ahead of the weather with an auto-updating display no matter where you are located.

Friend Stream forever
With HTC’s Friend Stream app, you would never lose touch with your online friends via multiple social networks such as Facebook® and Twitter™, without actually going on Facebook® and Twitter™.

The office has left the building
With Visual Mail, emails are presented like a stack of paper on your desk – you can flip through, read what you want and discard what you do not need.

Pricing and Availability
The new HTC Aria will be available mid-October exclusively from Optus stores and approved dealers. Optus customers can purchase the HTC Aria for $0 upfront on the $49 Optus Cap plan for consumers or the $49 Business Complete Advantage plan for small business customers, both over 24 months (Minimum total cost is $1176). For more information on Optus Cap plans, please visit www.optus.com.au/cap.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

About Optus
Optus is an Australian leader in integrated communications. The company specialises in a broad range of communications services including mobile, local, national and long distance telephony, business network services, internet and satellite services and subscription television. For more information please visit www.optus.com.au