By Days after we spotted the device in AT&T’s quality assurance and device testing video, the HTC Aria has been officially announced. It’s not the HTC Liberty like everyone thought before, though it’s entirely possible the Liberty could’ve been a codename.
The display is 3.2-inches (the size of the T-Mobile G1, if you want to get an idea) and its resolution is HVGA (320×480). The device will come with Android 2.1 and the latest version of HTC Sense, a 5-megapixel camera, HSPA 3G connectivity.
Pricing will be a cool $129.99 after $100 mail-in rebate (assuming you’d sign a two-year deal for it), making it one of the most affordable options in the American market. AT&T’s set the date to June 20th, but I have a feeling that it’ll get outshined by their “other” product soon afterward.
POCKET-SIZED HTC ARIA TO PREMIERE ON NATION’S FASTEST 3G NETWORK
Android 2.1 & HTC Sense™ Experience Combined With 7.2 HSPA Speeds Offers Exceptional Mobile Broadband Performance
DALLAS and BELLEVUE, Wash. – June 14, 2010 – AT&T* and HTC Corporation (“HTC”) today announced that HTC Aria™, a rich and powerful addition to AT&T’s Android smartphone portfolio, will be available exclusively at AT&T beginning June 20. Pocket-sized and packing the power of the Android 2.1 platform, a five megapixel camera and a bright 3.2 inch HVGA display, HTC Aria offers AT&T customers Android smartphone functionality in an amazingly easy-to-carry design. The combination of 3G speed, a responsive capacitive touch screen and an optical joystick makes HTC Aria an ideal smartphone for mobile broadband.
HTC Aria is Wi-Fi capable and qualifying customers will receive access to AT&T Wi-Fi, with more than 20,000 hotspots across the U.S. In addition, HTC Aria is compatible with AT&T’s High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 Mbps technology. This technology provides a considerable boost to 3G speeds when combined with expanded backhaul. The combination of faster wireless networks, smartphones like HTC Aria, and tens of thousands of available innovative mobile apps allows AT&T customers to mobilize virtually everything, from video and music, to social networking, to business applications.
“HTC Aria is the first of several smartphones in our Android portfolio to run the 2.1 platform,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “When you combine the nation’s fastest 3G network, and access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network, HTC Aria will be one of the best Android smartphones available.”
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. Featuring the latest version of HTC Sense, HTC Aria offers even more ways to stay connected, including Friend Stream, which delivers Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates in a single, consolidated view.
“Its unique combination of compact size and beautiful design instantly separates HTC Aria from the pack of ‘me-too’ smartphones,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. “But what really differentiates HTC Aria from other smartphones is the acclaimed HTC Sense experience, which we are pleased to be bringing to AT&T customers. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC Aria organizes all of your communications in the most human way possible – by person.”
A full selection of the newest and most popular Google services can be accessed with HTC Aria. This includes Google search, Google Maps, Google Navigation, Gmail, YouTube and more. With Android Market, customers can also choose from more than 50,000 applications to further personalize the mobile experience.
Along with being ultra-small at just over 4 inches long and weighing a mere 4.05 ounces, HTC Aria’s seamless wrap-around soft-touch back cover eliminates sharp edges, making HTC Aria exceptionally convenient to carry and comfortable to hold as well.
Featuring the best selection of smartphones and OS, AT&T is ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among smartphone owners. AT&T plans to expand its Android portfolio to include other Android smartphones during the second half of 2010.
Pricing and Availability
HTC Aria will be available on June 20 at AT&T retail locations nationwide or at http://www.att.com/wireless for $129.99 after $100 mail-in rebate (pay $229.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card. Two-year agreement required and smartphone data plan required).
Excited :D. Great that they finally released some information on it atleast. Release date and price is definitely a step in the right direction.
Its coming out before the iphone 4, so i wonder after that is finally released if the more power Android device will be announced.
So does the “AT&T Promo Card” spendable at locations OTHER than AT&T? It AT&T is forcing their subscribers to spend the “rebate” on accessories…after they wait for the promo card to arrive in the mail. Hopefully Retail store will assist those who want it with instant rebates like they do for all Sprint phones.
Got sick of waiting, so I just started the process of switching to Verizon by ordering a pair of Incredibles. Now my wife will also have an unlimited data plan, also.
Too little, too late AT&T — plus Verizon didn’t make me go through the B.S. of a mail-in rebate plus a “Promotion Card”.
Well it’s a start for AT&T but this device is only a bit better than the Backflip. It is hardware identical to the HTC Legend only in a different skin. Hopefully they will release a high end Android like the Samsung Galaxy S or HTC Desire. Otherwise AT&T is simply showing its’ loyalty to Uncle Steve.
Looks great,but I bet thats the pre-crippled ROM. /notsoinsidejoke
this seems to be just HTC bring the legend to the US pretty much, in combination with at&t trying to have another released android phone.
YAY! Finally!!!
Just like I figured, it’s the Legend in a new case. Actually, it looks like Wildfire also.
Does anyone know if AT&T butchered this anything like they did the backflip or did they learn they’re lesson??
HTC Smartphones are just too similar… Where is a HIGH END QUERTY DEVICE?
@rotkaeqpchen i think the fact that HTC makes their phones to be sort of similar shows consistency. Think of blackberry and how their phones are made. If they keep it up, i think they will begin to get things right such as less defective devices, and battery life.
i support the Aria. :)
Thank god, I want to get it already! Can’t wait
why does the phone in the video look different than the one in the pic ?
Damn at&t, always just coming up with a day late and a dollar short. I guess people want small screens with small devices but are they in the majority? 32X480 just doesn’t cut it any more for any serious smartphone user, another disappointment. I don’t know why I keep waiting in hopes that you come out woth a REAL Android based device with a competitive screen at least Droid size and res. 10 years a Cingular/at&t customer, 1 month from bagging it and going to Sprint.
I just did a little size comparison of this Aria and my Fuze based on the screen size and a couple of scaled images. If what I see is correct, this Aria will be the exact same size as the Fuze, and the dimension on the website are wrong (4.6″ x 2.3″ device seemed a bit odd to me). I have an image if anyone wants to see. Imagine a touch diamond with a bigger screen.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31289142&l=5dda8cebbc&id=1114610546
This is what I’m talking about.
Sorry, bad link. Here’s the good one :)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31289197&l=216ab0df3a&id=1114610546
Too little… Too late…
looks good, but thats it to me…
Too little and way to damned late.
Used the extension I’ve been saving on a Pre Plus that I didn’t wand and I’m selling off.
Had to use it before it was useless.
No Way I’m willingly switching frommy unlinited to a tiered plan. Hmm… $30 for unlimted or $35 for 3GB?…. Tough choice huh. Screw that.
@maerlim
One of the nice things about the legend is the case.. unbodied construction. I’m sure this will be a nice phone, but I have the feeling that if customers had this and the legend to hold side by side, the legend would win out most of the time.. chin or no chin.
thc like the box look for its phones :/
looks like a good phone just going to a bad network
FUCK IT. I’m leaving AT&T. This is BULL SHIT PHONE HERE. AT&T YOU COULD OF GOTTEN THE LEGEND BUT IGNORE IT. What’s the point of you PHANDROID or any other sites keep showing LEGEND HTC have AT&T 3G bands when AT&T didn’t even bother. I’m so fucking leaving AT&T getting sick and tired of all this waiting. going to move to SPRINT. Hell of a slow ass phone. Should of gotten the Legend at least it was faster than this crap hole. F U AT&T FOR LOVING APPLE!
An underpowered, undersized Incredible. Unless you’re shackled to AT&T, I don’t see the point.
It is a very pretty phone. but I already have a pretty phone, it’s crippled to death with malfunctions…but its pretty, LOL. Besides, I hate AT&T.