HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S Unveiled; Due in November
With iPhone 5 on the minds of consumers, two new phones are being set up to compete with Apple's latest product.
On Wednesday, HTC unveiled two new Windows Phone devices, the 8X and 8S, which run on the brand new mobile operating system from Microsoft. The announcement took place at an event in Manhattan by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who was joined by HTC CEO Peter Chou.
The HTC 8X will be the most powerful Windows Phone from HTC while the HTC 8S will fall in around the mid-range. Some of the features that both phones will share will be the colorful new design made from polycarbonate which is both very light and scratch resistant. Both phones will go beyond the normal black and white looks and will be available in an array of vibrant colors. They'll also include Beats Audio to provide improved music playback and the displays will use Corning's Gorilla Glass protection.
The 8X comes with a 4.3-inch 720p HD display, 1.5-GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and an 8-megapixel camera. The 8X's user-facing camera rates 2 megapixels and includes a wide-angle lens for better video chats. It also includes a dedicated 4-volt amplifier that will boost the audio signal sent to headphones.
The Windows Phone 8X by HTC will be sold by AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon Wireless. It will support LTE and HSPA+ wireless networks.
The 8S will have a 1-GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4-inch display, and a 5-megapixel camera. It won't feature the user-facing camera and the LTE 4G versions of the phone are not expected. It's yet to be seen which U.S. network operators will sell the 8S.
The phones are set to be released in the U.S. market in November with prices still waiting to be announced.
