HTC 4G Phone Provides Tough Competition for iPhone

Despite rumours of the impending release of a new iPhone 4G, demand for HTC's new Evo 4G smartphone has been overwhelming.

The phone, which is being offered by US wireless carrier Sprint Nextel, follows HTC's previous Android-based smartphones, Hero, Legend and Desire.

The Wall Street Journal reported that people stood in line outside Sprint Nextel flagship stores in order to purchase the device and that demand was so great that Sprint's account-activation system overloaded.

Experts believe that the Taiwan-based phone maker is the only company providing competition to Apple's iPhone, the next generation of which is set to be unveiled today.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Lois Fagan, head of Sprint's phone section, said: “Where there used to be nothing, now there's a force to be reckoned with.”

HTC has been actively releasing Android-based smartphones whilst working on its own mobile phone OS. HTC also developed the Nexus One smartphone from Google.