Palm is expected to announce a new Treo handset in September, according to reports. The device is expected to run Microsoft's Windows Mobile software and to be available on Vodafone's 3G network before the end of the year.

The handheld maker introduced its first Windows-based Treo in the US earlier this year, but said a model for European 3G networks would ship at a later date. The as yet unnamed device will be announced on September 12th, according to some reports. Palm would not confirm this date, but a spokesman for the company conceded that an announcement was due in the near future.

In July, Palm announced a partnership with Microsoft and Vodafone to launch its new Treo handset for the European market. The company said the new model would address a still largely untapped market for mobile email through its built-in support for Microsoft's Direct Push system, which links with Exchange corporate mail servers.

At about the same time, the firm discontinued its existing Treo 650 handset as the model did not comply with new European regulations covering hazardous substances in products.

In the US, the Treo 700 already supports the EV-DO wireless technology that allows download speeds up to 600kbit/s. For Europe, Palm's new model is expected to support the HSDPA extensions to 3G networks that will allow speeds up to about 1.4Mbit/s. Vodafone made its HSPDA service available across limited areas of the UK in June.