HTC Sensation on sale at Vodafone from May

Other networks to follow from June; HTC Flyer also gets release date of May 9

The HTC Sensation will go on sale through Vodafone in mid-May, with other networks to follow from June onwards.

The Sensation, which was unveiled at a launch event in London today, runs off Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It comes with a 4.3-inch screen, eight-megapixel camera with HD video recording capabilities as well as a front facing camera for video chat.

Featuring for the first time on a HTC handset is the company’s video streaming and rental service for mobile devices, HTC Watch. The application hosts a library of films and television shows. If the content is purchased, it can be watched on up to five different HTC devices.

The handset also includes HTC’s Sense user interface, which has been upgraded. For example, a customizable lockscreen has been introduced to transform it into a real-time window to the most important information and content, such as social networking updates, photos, weather or stock updates.

Other features include Bluetooth printing and stereo sound recording.

HTC vice president of products and services Phil Blair said: “We are more excited about this device than any other we have launched before.

“This is the best and richest HTC experience yet. In short a blazing fast and beautiful smartphone with an unprecedented user experience.”

At the same event HTC Europe, Middle East and Africa president Florian Seiche revealed HTC’s first tablet device, the Flyer, will go on sale in the UK and Europe on May 9.

The Flyer, which was first launched at Mobile World Congress in February, also runs off Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and comes with a seven-inch screen, 32GB of internal memory, a 1.5GHz porocessor, Wi-Fi, a five-megapixel reverse camera and 1.3-megapixel front facing camera.