High Tech Computer (HTC) will start volume shipments of its first 3G PDA phones by the end of the third quarter, CEO HT Cho said yesterday at the company’s annual shareholders meeting.

Cho declined to reveal the client’s name, but market sources indicated that the 3G PDA phone is a WCDMA PDA phone, the MDA IV, which was unveiled by Germany-based T-Mobile International early this year.

HTC plans to launch one or two 3G mobile phones in 2005, but will increase the number of 3G handset models in 2006, Cho said.

Cho also predicted that HTC’s handset shipments are likely to increase 30% on-year, to about 4.85 million units in 2005, up from 3.73 million units in 2004.

In addition, the proportion of wireless communication devices, including smartphones and PDA phones, to the company’s total shipments is expected to exceed 60% this year, up from 50% in 2004, Cho asserted.

Related stories:

Merrill Lynch: HTC to ride high on 3G PDA phone sales (Oct 6)

Taiwan market: Dopod to introduce Dopod 900 3G PDA phone (Sep 15)

HTC pre-tax profits grow 138% on-year in 1H (Aug 31)

Report: HTC to manufacture Microsoft-based Treo smartphones for Palm (Aug 11)

Dopod to expand international presence with HTC-manufactured smartphones (Jul 21)

HTC to start volume shipments of iPAQ hw6515 PDA phones to HP (Jul 13)

HTC introduces Windows Mobile 5.0-based 3G phone (May 11)

HTC leads handset companies to deliver dividends of NT$7.0 for 2004 (May 2)

CDMA phone shipments from Taiwan to more than double in 2005 (Mar 30)

T-Mobile to introduce HTC-manufactured 3G phone in 3Q, says source (Feb 4)

HTC: Surging smartphone demand will benefit 2005 performance (Feb 1)