Orange Barcelona heads to UK with Android 2.2

Orange is set to unleash another own-branded Android handset in the form of the Orange Barcelona.

Update: We've heard back from Orange, which reveals that the manufacturer behind the Barcelona is Huawei, rather than ZTE which made the San Francisco.

The Orange Barcelona UK price has also been set: it'll set you back £119.99 on pay as you go (plus a £20 top-up, effectively making the price £139.99), or you can nab it for free on 24-month contracts of £15 per month or more.

Following the great success of the 2.1-toting Orange San Fransisco, the Barcelona is taking a step up in the world, launching with Android 2.2 (Froyo).

Unlike the San Francisco, it comes with a full physical QWERTY keyboard and a 2.6-inch TFT touchscreen; like a budget BlackBerry Bold 9900.

Like a jewel in the sun

Also on board are HD voice, a 3.2MP camera, and video calling, presumably via a front-mounted camera but we can't see one on Orange's mock ups at first glance.

The Barcelona will also be rocking 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as offering seven hours of talktime from a single charge.

Not much news on the Orange Barcelona UK release date front; all we can tell you is that it's coming to pay monthly and pay as you go 'soon', as the Orange shop site says.

Stay tuned for more details on UK pricing too; we'd expect it to be around the same level as the low-cost ZTE-made San Francisco, but there are no guarantees until we hear back from the tangy network itself.

Via Unwired View