HTC is getting ready to launch a new phablet besides the HTC M8. An image of the company's 5.5-inch Desire 8 phablet has leaked on the web.
Just recently, HTC announced that it was changing its 2014 strategy and would put a greater emphasis on introducing mid-range devices, since the company hasn't seen major success in the high-end market. HTC will launch its follow-up to the HTC One at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona later this month. The smartphone is expected to share a near identical design to the HTC One, but have improved specs and dual UltraPixel cameras on board. The HTC M8 will be the company's flagship smartphone and will go head to head with the iPhone 5s and upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5.
It now appears that HTC will begin its new 2014 strategy with the launch of a mid-range phablet that will reportedly be called the Desire 8. The image was posted to MyDrivers and reveals that the smartphone will include dual-SIM support and feature a 5.5-inch display, but the exact resolution of the screen was not reported. The handset will pack in a 13-megapixel camera, not the HTC UltraPixel found on the HTC One and upcoming HTC M8. It will also reportedly ship with a 5-megapixel front facing camera with beautification mode for video chat and selfies.
The leaked image shows the Desire 8 will run the same version of HTC Sense as the HTC M8 and it also appears to have front-facing stereo speakers, similar to the ones found on the HTC One, One Mini, and One Max. The phablet will also follow the HTC M8 by using on-screen buttons. The smartphone is expected to be available in choice of white, red, yellow, orange, and cyan when it goes on sale.
There's no word on whether HTC plans on showing off the Desire 8 alongside the HTC M8 later this month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The image shows a date of March 18 on the smartphone's display, which could be a hint at when HTC could announce it. We'll keep you up to date as soon as more information becomes available.
