HTC this morning quietly published details of the Touch HD and set the foundations for a clearer attempt at fighting the iPhone. The posting confirms a late leak and shows a device that depends more heavily on its display than most rivals: the 3.8-inch touchscreen is both larger than the Apple model and also sharper, at a near DVD-level 800x480. Such a dense LCD is a decisive edge for watching movies and browsing photos, HTC claims. The smartphone is also HTC's first Touch to scrap the directional pad altogether and has just four physical buttons on its face, shifting most of the attention to the TouchFLO interface that sits on top of Windows Mobile.

Its features are also reminiscent of the Touch Diamond and include HSDPA-based 3G data as well as GPS mapping and Wi-Fi; the new model upgrades the camera to five megapixels and opts for removable microSDHC storage instead of the fixed 4GB from the Diamond. HTC vows an unusually lengthy 6.5 hours of talk time on 3G and a front camera for video calls.

The Touch HD's unveiling may be unintentional and doesn't include release dates or other launch information. However, the existence of quad-band GSM and EDGE hints at a North American launch for at least imported models. Most recent HTC phones have either been modified to support 3G Internet use with AT&T or have been converted entirely to CDMA for use with Sprint, Verizon and similar carriers.