HTC HD7 gets microSD transplant after hidden card reader discovered

With no iFixit teardown of HTC's HD7 in sight, the::unwired took matters into their own hands and opened up the 4.3-inch Windows Phone 7 device to see if, like the Samsung Focus, it had a hidden memory card slot.  Perhaps unsurprisingly it does, with HTC having used a Class 2 8GB microSD to give the HD7 its chunk of internal storage.  Even better, they were able to swap it out for a different card, and have Windows Phone 7 recognize it.

Microsoft hasn't allowed OEMs to add regular microSD cards to their WP7 handsets, instead mandating that they must have at least 8GB of internal memory.  Rather than do this with a chunk of flash, it seems HTC and Samsung have taken the easier route and put a hidden microSD slot inside instead.

Unfortunately, despite swapping the Class 2 card for a Class 6 8GB microSD, no differences in speed were observed.  Meanwhile the process itself seems pretty patchy, with the HD7 first throwing up error messages about needing the original card.  Still, if you have a spare 16GB or 32GB card lying around, and don't mind a little tinkering, it's a handy way to add more capacity to your phone.