HTC’s Peter Chou has confirmed today that the company is developing a whole new range of Android-powered handsets that, despite having a number of successful designs already in their portfolio, will be distinct from the current Windows Mobile powered range.  In an interview with Engadget, the company CEO discussed HTC’s move from producing OEM handsets for carriers to promoting their own brand, and how their development of software interfaces which, so far, have run on top of WM6 has prepared them for the opportunity to build unique devices based on Android.

“HTC is trying to differentiate ourselves in terms of user experience. Not just features or functions or tags, just really trying to design the product from the user’s perspective, because we care about the user. So our vision is that we want people to enjoy that mobility, which comes from user-focused design. Touch Flo is one such technology, and we are very proud of. And we are actually trying to innovate from the software user experience, that point of view. Definitely, the Android platform has a lot more flexibility to do more in this area” Peter Chou, CEO, HTC

As designers of the reference and demo platform credited with bringing many Open Handset Alliance members onto the scheme, Chou revealed that Google has in fact been working closely with HTC for the past two years developing the open-source Linux-based OS.  Previous interviews with Chou have seen him reveal a few details regarding HTC’s Android roadmap, including their plans to release 2-3 handsets in 2008 that are based on the OS, and it’s rumored that one such device will be a consumer version of the demo design, codenamed the HTC Dream. 

“Well if we want to be successful or successful products, we have to think of things holistically — the whole thing. You need it to really impress people. Instead of just doing things here or there — I’ve never seen a product that was very successful in that fashion. So I think there are no worries about that. We are actually very disciplined and professional and try to do these things separately” Peter Chou

When pressed on the subject of whether HTC would recycle existing models, Chou confirmed they would not, although they would of course leverage existing hardware development such as wireless capabilities and mobile CPUs.  Similarly, they will still be building WM-based devices and there is unlikely to be an option for cross-device OS installation given Chou’s push for holistic design.