In late 2008, a HTC roadmap leaked to the technology press featuring future HTC devices. One of these was labeled the HTC Trophy. A
BlackBerry reminiscent phone, the device sported a 3-inch
touchscreen with a portrait Qwerty keyboard and a trackball. For several years, this phone was not heard of again, largely due to the internal shakeups going on at
Microsoft involving the move from Windows Mobile 7.0 to Windows Phone 7 Series (Later renamed Windows Phone 7), as well as problems with development of the KIN devices. When Microsoft announced its new mobile OS at Mobile World Congress 2010, most journalists assumed that the HTC Trophy had been abandoned. But a new model (codenamed HTC Spark) began to appear in leaked spy shots, and the phone was released as the HTC 7 Trophy to international markets on October 21, 2010. In January 2011, a leaked internal document to Microsoft employees appeared on
Engadget's website. It offered the phone for $199.99 to Microsoft employees. Many took this to mean that the phone would soon be launching on Verizon's network. After several more leaks, Verizon announced the phone on May 19, 2011 to be available in early June. It was discontinued by the end of January 2013. ==Product==