From deep within HTC HQ there have been rumblings of an actual bona fide iPhone rivalling touchscreen phone, and today it’s been thrown into the spotlight.

The new Touch Diamond has landed and it’s prepped and specced to take on the Jesus Moby. In development since early last year, the Diamond sports an updated 3D TouchFlo interface that promises to deliver more “emotion” than before. Hopefully this won’t involve crying at weddings and the like.

For latest hTC Mobile Phone Deals please visit SAFFtrack Mobiles

 

The features list is as long and colourful as Pete Doherty’s criminal record, with Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.2Mp digicam, tilt sensors and HSDPA for speeds up to a lightning 7.2Mbps - all of which beat the iPhone’s rival stats.

Where it does fall short is in the 4GB storage capacity, but this was never about an MP3 player rival. Instead, HTC is concentrating on making the Internet “usable and fun” according to CEO Peter Chou.

It runs a customised Windows Mobile 6.1 OS using Opera rather than Internet Explorer (though this is to be rectified likely with a later model once IE can be incorporated), and allows for web page zoom, landscape browsing and “one touch” text resizing fitting it to the page.

The Touch Diamond lands this very month and will be served up by all UK operators, with each making it their own with new name and brand-specific apps including games, music and Orange TV for, er, Orange and the likes of web’n'walk for T-Mobile (pictured).

“We don’t need two hands, just one hand and one finger,” commented the irascible Chou in an obvious dig to its Apple rival. With comments like that, Jobs and co could well be the ones to deliver the finger.

What’s your opinion? Would you opt for the Touch Diamond over a 3G iPhone? Have your say below and keep em peeled for a review after we’ve had a proper play at the official launch.