It should come as little surprise to industry observers that Facebook plans to unveil both a rich, skinned version of its Android app at a press event tomorrow, along with the first hardware to run that experience out of the box. The phone, by HTC, is appropriately named “First”—appropriate because of its status as the première phone to undergo Facebookification and its similarity to the name of HTC’s newest flagship, the One. More screenshots follow: Expand Expanding Close
It’s all but confirmed the HTC One is launching in New York today, but that didn’t stop French website NowhereElse from leaking a press shot of device today. The leak shows both sides of the phone, in both black and white, with a few apps running on the screen. On one phone, a video camera app is running while a photo gallery app seems to be running on the other. The phone in the middle is presumed to be the home screen with what looks to be a new version of Sense. It’s been rumored that Sense 5.0 is going to launch today, and that may in fact be true with this new leak. While the shots don’t seem to be Photoshopped, we’ll be sure of what is announced today, as we will be there live blogging the event at 10 a.m. EST.
Update: DroidLifehas two videos of the phone, with one being sourced from Phandroid.
Update 2:Engadget spotted the HTC One. The shot is a close up of the back of the device. A red band that adds a nice accent is also shown on the device, but the red band is not shown in the reported press release photos above.
Over the last few days, HTC has sent out ‘teaser tweets’ pertaining to its upcoming announcement tomorrow. In its latest tweet from this morning, HTC showed a table with what looks to be new devices under black cloths. While it looks like there are over 12 devices under the cloths, one of them is substantially bigger than the rest. Moreover, it lines up approximately as the same size of a 10-inch tablet. While rumors of a tablet being announced tomorrow are scarce, judging by the photo, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if one does happen to be announced tomorrow. Take a look at the unedited picture yourself, but we’ll be there live tomorrow to blog the event!
HTC’s CEO holding what a appears to be an unreleased M7
This morning, the folks over at UnwiredViewclaimed to have a spec list of two unannounced HTC phones said to launch sometime after HTC’s Feb. 19 M7 announcement. The first phone, named the “M4”, is said to be a mid-range phone, being a step-down from the M7 and a step-up from the G2. Its specs are displayed in the chart below.
UnwiredView’s alleged M4 spec chart.
The chart shows the device to have a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch HD display, 2GB of RAM, and a 13MP camera. With phones in the ‘low’ 4-inch range nowadays light on specs, HTC seems to want to turn that around with the M4.
The second phone UnwiredView claimed to have the specs for is the G2. The G2 is a budget-phone that, if the charts are to be believed, won’t even launch with Jelly Bean but rather Ice Cream Sandwich. Since the M4 is supposedly launching with Jelly Bean, one can infer it will never get an upgrade to Jelly Bean if the G2 launches with ICS.
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While all signs point to HTC launching these two devices at MWC, UnwiredView claimed these phones won’t launch at February’s press event or MWC—but rather much after.
HTC just sent out invitations to the press asking them to “Save the Date” for a 10 a.m. press event on Feb. 19 in New York City. It’s unknown what’s going to be announced at the event, but it could reveal the much-rumored M7 phone with the launch of Sense 5.0. The M7 is rumored to be HTC’s newest flagship with a 4.7-inch display and, of course, Beats Audio. If the M7 is announced at this press event, HTC’s presence at MWC could be a lot quieter.
HTC’s rumored upcoming flagship device, the 4.7-inch ‘M7’, was looking quite iPhone-like in the last set of alleged leaked renders. Today, we get images of the device from a couple of other sources that show HTC might be experimenting with various designs ahead of the product’s launch.
The first set of images, above, come from AndroidPolice, and they show off Sense 5.0 with rearranged home and multitasking buttons. We also get a look at the backside of the device that oddly shows a different Beats audio logo and flash position than the rendered images (below) posted by HTCSource yesterday. It’s of course possible that we’re looking at a prototype of the device in the photos above, and perhaps the renders are closer to what the finished device will look like. Hopefully we actually get eyes on the device next month a Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Expand Expanding Close
We have heard a lot about HTC’s upcoming M7 smartphone expected to replace the company’s One X line in recent weeks. The rumored 4.7-inch device has some pretty impressive specs, including “several industry firsts,” according to recent reports. However, it certainly doesn’t have an industry-first design, if this new leaked image from UnwiredView is legit, and I think Apple might agree.
The report quoted a “trusted source” and claimed the image above is clipped from “a short animation clip instructing new owners on first-time SIM card installation” for the M7. It’s likely we’ll get our first real look at M7 next month during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
If a new rumor is to be believed, the launch of HTC’s new flagship may be coming sooner than we thought. Prominent XDA Forum member Football4PDA tweeted that the One X+ successor, the HTC M7, may be announced at a CES 2013 event by HTC and not at Mobile World Congress. The M7 is rumored to feature “several industry firsts,” boasting a 4.7-inch display with a pixel density of 468PPI and a number of visual improvements. It will also sport a second-generation 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal flash storage, and LTE. There are also believed to be several camera improvements, with a 1080p, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1080p front-facing camera. A CES announcement may give the device a quicker launch, with Sprint and Verizon looking to be the destination stateside. We will cover CES from the show floor next week and will bring you the latest as we get it. Expand Expanding Close
UnwiredView has more details on the rumored HTC M7 this afternoon—a device that is set to replace the company’s One X line. According to the report, the HTC M7 will feature “several industry firsts,” boasting a 4.7-inch display with a pixel density of 468PPI and a number of visual improvements. It will also sport a second-generation 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal flash storage, and LTE. As for the camera, one of the focuses of the One X, the latest device, is said to feature several camera improvements, with a 1080p, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1080p front-facing camera. As for the software, not much seems to change. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with a Sense 5 overlay is expected. Sprint and Verizon look to be the destination for HTC’s latest flagship, with a Mobile World Conference announcement in sight this spring.
HTC looked to make a mark on the world with the arrival of the HTC One X in the spring. The device provided a new look into Android devices that veered away from its previous bulkier and heavier line of otherwise solid products. The One X was arguably one of the best, most designed Android devices we saw out of 2012’s Mobile World Conference, but it didn’t fare well against the Samsung Galaxy S3 line once the two went head-to-head.
Maybe that is why we were a little surprised with the announcement of the HTC One X+ in early October. Everything looked to be the same on the outside, but the internals packed some serious upgrades. The HTC One X+ went on sale at AT&T yesterday for $199 and Amazon for $139. We have spent the better part of a month testing the One X+ to answer the simple question: Is this your next handset? First, let’s get started with the overall design.
Use Google Calendar to mange your day-to-day? You’re in luck, as Google has released an official Google Calendar for Android app on Google Play this evening, allowing users to keep track of their calendar right from their Android device. The app (which at one time was exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S) features that ability to create, edit, and delete events, view calendars (including non-Google) in one spot, and quickly email related people to event with a customizable message. Google Calendar is available for Android 4.0.3 devices or higher. Google does warn that there are some issues with HTC devices: [Google Play via Official Android]
After releasing its unaudited results just over a week ago, HTC is out this morning with audited Q2 2012 financial earnings. The Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer posted a 58 percent year-over-year profit loss for the quarter at roughly $248 million USD, while revenues for the company amounted to roughly $3.04 billion USD. Furthermore, HTC posted its outlook for Q3. It said revenue would be 41- to 48 percent lower than the year-over-year quarter.
HTC has been in a fight with both Apple and Samsung for market share over the last few years. According to numbers released earlier this week by research firm ComScore, HTC is No. 5 in market share in the U.S.— behind Motorola. Despite the HTC One series being considered the best smartphones on the market at one point, sales do not look to be groundbreaking for the company.
Last month, HTC announced that it was selling its 50.1-percent stake in the company Beats. According to several reports, HTC was not meeting Beats’ financial obligations, despite the audio’s brand being embedded in numerous smartphones released (including the One series). This year looks to be a pretty rough for Peter Chou and his team.
HTC plans to push Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to its popular line of One smartphones. HTC Global Online Communications Manager Jeff Gordon issued the following statement to The Verge:
“We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean.”
It is worth noting the One V is missing from the company’s update list.
Last spring, as part 2012’s 24 Hour Film Race presented by HTC One, Director Frank Hannah shot a four-minute film with the manufacturer’s popular Android-powered smartphone.
The challenge occurred from May 18 to May 19, where over 750 teams around the world were given the following criteria:
Create an original short films (4 minutes max) in just 24 hours based on a theme (one), action (listening to music), and prop (the number one).
Hannah interpreted and completed the challenge, and then HTC honored his work by recently posting the short film on YouTube (above). A second video even documents the behind-the-scenes footage (below). Check ’em out!
This phone is exactly what you think it is: a throwback to last year when HTC made thick phones, while Verizon loaded phones with crapware (O.K., that’s still happening). I have to wonder what happened behind the scenes with the HTC-VZ relationship. Did HTC say to Verizon, “You want to do WHAT with our One phones? Errr, here—have this instead of the One.”
I mean, T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T each released the next generation of thin, svelte One series smartphones with big, beautiful displays. They are critically acclaimed! The Incredible 4G’s 4-inch display would have been passable, if it had a body like the HTC One S, which I am still in love with. This phone is so thick (.46 inches) that you almost expect it to have a slide out keyboard (Droid 4 with a keyboard is only microns thicker).
This…this is like the Rezound Jr., which is not entirely bad…for a 2011 grenade phone.
Smartphone manufacturer HTC unveiled its latest mobile market contribution, the HTC Desire C, along with an official promotion video this morning.
The reel, dubbed “First Look,” only gave a brief glimpse of the device’s HTC Sense 4.0 interface, while this morning’s presser and website addressed a few of the informational gaps. The handset highlights Beats Audio technology, Sense integrated with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and a “powerful battery.” It also boasts a 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, and 25GB of Dropbox for two years, and will sell alongside a second, NFC-capable variant.
The HTC Desire C will debut in red, white, and black through T-Mobile, Virgin Media, Three, Vodafone, Orange, O2, Phones4U, The Carphone Warehouse, and Tesco Mobile in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Engadgetgot aholdof T-Mobile UK to confirm pricing details: Pay-monthly users can have the handset free as long as they pay £15.50 a month for two years, and Pay-As-You-Go users can get the Android smartphone for £169.99. Both options become available in early June.
The yet-to-be released HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE just received more verification about its pending existence due to two accessories that suddenly appeared on retail website HTCPedia.
Earlier this week, the Droid Incredible 4G accidentally—and temporarily—popped up on Verizon’s “Droid Does” website, and images of the device even surfaced around the Web at the beginning of April. These leaks verify rumors that the latest Droid will pack a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch display, LTE bands, and Android 4.0 with HTC’s custom Sense 4 on top. Presumably, the device will also feature an 8-megapixel shooter.
While many of the devices on the list have rumored or leaked release dates already, BGR claimed to have Verizon’s summer/fall roadmap that details flagship smartphones being launched later this year.
According to the report, Verizon Wireless will offer Samsung’s highly anticipated and much rumored Galaxy S3, which the company confirmed yesterday will pack its new 1.4GHz Exynos 4 quad-core processor. The report does not give a release date, but it speculated a summer release based on the roadmap.
Also apparently on the roadmap are multiple Motorola RAZR devices and a new 5-inch HTC device that appears to be a Galaxy Note competitor…
I’ve had my HTC One S review unit for a week and can say that what I found before still stands. Without a doubt (O.K., one little one), this is the phone to get if you are on T-Mobile. In fact, there are few phones available from any carriers that can stand with this device. Here’s why:
The screen is beautiful. The not too big, not too small, 4.3-inch diagonally 540-by-960 display is not the monster that most high-end Androids tout today, but it is well big enough for just about anything you could throw at it. It is bright, vibrant and stands its ground to direct sunlight. Pixels are not discernable in normal use.
The phone is thin, light, and strong. At under 8mm thin, you will not find a thinner phone anywhere. At the same time, it has a beautiful unibody aluminum construction. It feels great in the hand and is relatively unnoticeable in the pocket.
Sense 4.0, while still an overlay, is an improvement from HTC. I really liked the camera software, as well as the some of the little weather, Stock, Sense Widgets, etc. I also like T-MobileTV, which broadcasts some good live and other content over the mobile network or Wi-Fi.
The experience is polished all around. Fast processor, ample battery time and great Beats sound.
T-Mobile’s launch of the HTC One S should be seen as the first real phone benchmark for 2012. That is good because 2011 was a bad year for both T-Mobile and HTC.
We have a bold new generation of devices from a beaten up manufacturer on a carrier that is just now emerging from the AT&T merger/breakup.
Without even turning the One S on, you will immediately marvel at the hardware. It is an incredible 7.8mm thin, which is significantly thinner than the thinnest Galaxy S2 or iPhone 4S. It is also 118g light, yet it is a metallic solid, owing to its unibody aluminum construction. With angular/rounded corners, it feels great in the hand and the dark Gorilla Glass on metal look is as nice of a design as you will find on any device. It has three capacitive buttons on the bottom, which we owe to the new Ice Cream Sandwich user-interface.
It is hard for me to imagine someone going into a T-Mobile store and coming out with anything else but this phone. Sure, the new Galaxies have slightly bigger screens, but this feels much more solid and has the same resolution. Moreover, last year’s HTC Sensation and Amaze feel like a grenades compared to the svelte HTC One S.
HTC has been struggling since the second-half of last year and disappointing Q4 2011 earnings (PDF) even inspired a new handset strategy. The manufacturer previously announced it would no longer clutter the smartphone market with a sea of generic Android devices and would instead focus on the One line of high-end Android smartphones.
PocketNowdug up today’s press leak, however, which seems to contradict HTC’s claims. The website also spilled the goods as to what the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich-powered device is packing, but keep in mind that it is currently codenamed and might end up as the “Wildfire C.”
Are you thinking about getting a new handset at Verizon? Perhaps it is best to wait a little. Android Police just posted the first images of the upcoming HTC Incredible 4G, complete with Beats branding and Sense 4.0. Thanks to the leak, we now know the Incredible 4G is packing what looks to be a 4-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, microSD card slot, Verizon LTE, NFC, and Android 4.0. This could be a hot selling item over at big red, rumored to launch April 26 for under $200 with a contract.
Update: Pocketnow also posted the first renders of the device, as seen after jump.
Ready to get your hands on HTC’s latest offering? Well now is your chance, because eBay is offering a GSM unlocked version of the HTC One X for $629. The HTC One X was unveiled a few months back at MWC, and it features a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, Android 4.0, 8-megapixel camera, and 32GB of storage. Go ahead and check it out on eBay, and let us know if you made the purchase in the comments.
HTC released unaudited Q1 2012 sales figures today, and the painful results show the Taiwanese manufacturer is floundering due to heavy competition.
First-quarter revenues pulled $2.3 billion USD, which is a 35-percent drop year-over-year (PDF), while net profit plummeted 70 percent to roughly $148 million USD.
“We simply dropped the ball on products in the fourth quarter,” said Yung said during the Feb. 6 conference call, while noting the Rezound and Vivid handsets did not meet the company’s expectations.
