HTC Velocity 4G Out Today, More 4G Devices On The Way

We all knew what it was and when it was coming, but the HTC Velocity 4G was only officially launched last night at an extravagant bash. Telstra also revealed a few tidbits that might just convince you to get this phone… or maybe wait.

In terms of specs, the HTC Velocity 4G comes with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) with HTC Sense 3.5, 16GB internal storage (3GB is already taken up by the OS), up to 32GB of expandable storage via microSD, 4.5-inch qHD screen (960×540), 8MP rear camera with dual LED flash, a 1620mAh battery, plus an unlocked bootloader.

The lack of Ice Cream Sandwich in the HTC Velocity 4G is a dealbreaker for me — now that I’ve tasted Ice Cream Sandwich, I pout at the thought of going back to Gingerbread. Telstra said that they only received ICS from Google last week, so although the HTC Velocity 4G would be launching on Gingerbread, they expect to roll out ICS within “the next month or two”. I don’t believe them for even a second that they will make that self-imposed deadline, but I can appreciate that they have a lot of testing to do, not only to ensure the best possible user experience, but also for legal reasons. As one Telstra representative said, “If someone can’t make an emergency call because we didn’t test it thoroughly, Telstra will get the blame.”

More Telstra 4G Phones, Tablet and Hotspot Coming To Australia

One unexpected revelation Telstra made at the event was that the HTC Velocity 4G would be the first of “three or four” 4G smartphones to be rolled out by mid-2012, along with a tablet and a couple of Wi-Fi hotspot devices. It’s unlikely that all the phones would be HTC devices though — we’re expecting at least some of the upcoming devices to be made by Samsung or LG. But three or four devices by mid-year is a lot more than we expected from the one carrier, which means it may be worth waiting for one of the upcoming 4G phones that should come with ICS already bundled in, if that’s as important to you as it is to me.

If you’re keen to pick up a HTC Velocity 4G, it’s available as of today from Telstra and its partners, JB Hi-Fi and Fone Zone, for $0 upfront on the $79 Freedom Connect Plan or outright for $864. We’re expecting a review unit at some point today, so look out for a hands-on post and review with speed tests next week. [Telstra, HTC]