An HTC One M8 with Windows Phone on board instead of Android is expected to debut soon, and more information is now available regarding its specs.
Microsoft and HTC are holding a press event on Aug. 19 in New York City, where the two companies are widely expected to introduce the new HTC One for Windows. The smartphone has leaked before and is expected to launch as an exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the U.S.
The HTC One for Windows (W8) is expected to sport identical specifications to the original model, but with one big difference on the software side: instead of Google's Android, the upcoming model will run Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1.
The folks over at Windows Phone Central (WPCentral) now claim to have obtained "exact details" regarding the specs and features of the upcoming HTC One for Windows.
"In porting over the designed-for-Android hardware, the HTC One (M8) for Windows looks to keep all the major selling points as it carries over to Windows Phone," the publication reports. "Hardware parity is important if a customer is comparing the Android and Windows Phone version as any hardware differentiation could give the edge to one OS over another. Instead, consumers for the first time - at least on Verizon - can have a choice between one phone, and two different operating systems with no stipulations."
If there are no changes in terms of hardware specs, the HTC One for Windows should come with a 5-inch full HD, Super LCD3 display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection and a pixel density of 441 pixels per inch (ppi), a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor under the hood, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage capacity, expandable up to 128GB via microSD. Other specs include an HTC UltraPixel rear camera setup, a 5-megapixel front shooter, a 2,600 mAh battery, and Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box. The handset will also reportedly come with HTC BoomSound, U-Focus, and HTC Dot View case.
As WPCentral points out, HTC's "U-Focus" functionality is the company's answer to Nokia's "Re-Focus" app. HTC's version works in Auto mode, however, and actually allows the user to refocus a photo after taking it. With Nokia's app, users have to select the Re-Focus option first and take a photo in a unique mode.
As for the software, Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 has plenty of neat treats to offer, including the much-touted Cortana digital assistant. HTC has yet to confirm plans to release a One M8 variant running Microsoft's OS, but all signs point in this direction. If Microsoft and HTC indeed plan to unveil this HTC One for Windows at their Aug. 19 event, we'll know all about it soon enough. The handset could go on sale on Verizon on Aug. 21.
