The embattled folks at HTC have been busy of late, and have broken cover to announce the impending release of a range of entry-level and mid-range phones, the Desire 300 and Desire 601.
The Desire 300 (above) is HTC’s new entry-level smartphone, sporting design cues from its high end HTC One brother, and comes with a modest 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, backed by 512MB of RAM.
Designed to replace last year’s Wildfire C, the 300 sports a 4.3-inch WVGA ‘full lamination display’ (you what?) and comes with HTC’s BlinkFeed home screen software.
The Desire 300 is set to be released in “select markets” (including the UK) in October 2013.
Billed as “a powerful value smartphone for everyone, the HTC Desire 601 (above) looks to be a decent enough mid-range device, packing a 4.5-inch qHD LCD display, with the device purring along on a a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core CPU at 1.4GHz – the same CPU to be found in the HTC One Mini.
Onboard is the latest version of HTC Sense, plus BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe and video highlights, while two large “BoomSound” front-facing speakers boost the audio experience.
There’s a 5-megapixel camera around the back, and the handset can claim to the the fiorst of the long runninng Desire famlity to ship with LTE support.
A European release is expected in September.
Scroll down for a full spec run down, news of a matching boombox Bluetooth speaker and the full press release blurb:
HTC Desire 601 specifications
| Size | 134.5 x 66.7 x 9.88mm |
| Weight | 130 grams |
| Display | 4.5-inch qHD (960×540) |
| CPU | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400, dual-core, 1.4GHz |
| Platform | Android with HTC Sense; HTC BlinkFeed |
| Internal storage | 8GB + microSD slot |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Network | 2G/ 2.5G – GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G/ 3.5G – UMTS/ HSPA: 900/1900/2100MHz with HSPA+ up to 42 Mbps 4G – LTE: 800/900/1800/2600 MHz |
| SIM | microSIM |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor |
| Connectivity | 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth® 4.0 with aptX™ enabled Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n DLNA® for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to a compatible TV or computer HTC Connect |
| Sound Enhancement | HTC BoomSound™, Dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers, Sense Voice |
| Camera | 5 MP Auto Focus Camera – BSI sensor, Pixel size 1.4 µm, Sensor size 1/4″” HTC Image Chip Continuous shooting and VideoPic F2.0 aperture and 28 mm lens Smart Flash: Five levels of flash automatically set by distance to subject 1080p video recording Slow motion video recording with variable speed playback VGA front camera Front Camera: VGA Camcorder encoding HTC Zoe™ with Sequence Shot, Always Smile and Object Removal Gallery with Video Highlights and HTC Share |
| Multimedia | Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr |
| Video supported formats | Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .mp4 |
| Battery | 2100mAh capacity 12.8 hours talk time on 3G 440 hours standby time on 3G |
| GPS | GPS/AGPS + GLONASS |
| AC Adapter | Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A |
HTC Desire 300 specifications
| Size | 131.78 x 66.23 x 10.12mm |
| Weight | 120 grams |
| Display | 4.3-inch WVGA (800×480) |
| CPU | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4, dual-core, 1GHz |
| Platform | Android with HTC Sense; HTC BlinkFeed |
| Internal storage | 4GB + microSD slot |
| RAM | 512MB |
| Network | 2G/ 2.5G – GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G/ 3.5G – UMTS/ HSPA: 900/2100MHz with HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps (EU/Asia/China); 850/2100MHz with HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps (Asia) |
| SIM | microSIM |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor |
| Connectivity | 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth® 4.0 with aptX™ enabled Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n |
| Camera | 5 MP Auto Focus Camera F/2.8 aperture and 34mm lens WVGA video recording VGA front camera |
| Multimedia | Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: .amr |
| Video supported formats | Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: .mp4 |
| Battery | 1650mAh capacity 11 hours talk time on 3G 625 hours standby time on 3G |
| GPS | GPS/AGPS |
| AC Adapter | Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A |
Here’s the full press release gubbins:
Category-changers: HTC introduces new mid-range Desire 601 and entry-level Desire 300
New HTC BoomBassTM supercharges BoomSoundTM for the ultimate HTC One® audio experienceLondon, 3 September 2013 – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the addition of the HTC Desire 601 and HTC Desire 300, to its popular smartphone family enabling consumers to enjoy a premium experience at any price point. Changing the face of the mid-range, the HTC Desire 601 introduces LTE speeds and innovative features from the flagship One family, including HTC ZoeTM with Video Highlights and HTC BoomSound. Setting a new standard for entrylevel smartphones, the HTC Desire 300 offers a powerful, large-screen browsing experience and HTC BlinkFeedTM
In addition to extending its range of affordable Desire smartphones, HTC is also bringing new choice and performance enhancements to its acclaimed HTC One family. HTC BoomBass, a Bluetooth subwoofer, combines with the One family’s HTC BoomSound to offer a fully-immersive audio experience like no other. A new ‘Vivid Blue’ HTC One and One mini also introduce a bold new option for those who want a handset that stands out from the crowd.
“For the last 17 years HTC has challenged the mobile industry to develop innovations that change the way in which people use their mobile phone. Now we’re not only changing the way people view the mid-range and entry-level market but setting the bar even higher when it comes to our premium devices and capabilities,” commented Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “We are committed to offering the most innovative portfolio of products on the market. Our Desire family has become synonymous with affordable quality. Offering some of the most advanced capabilities of any smartphone, these phones truly represent premium quality in a more affordable price bracket.”
HTC Desire 601: A powerful value smartphone for everyone
The HTC Desire 601 comes complete with many of the features that have led the HTC One to be crowned the best phone in the world. HTC BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe with Video Highlights and HTC BoomSound make this the most advanced mid-range smartphone available on the market today
The rear-facing 5MP camera captures HTC Zoes, bringing images to life in three-second videos. The simple editing capabilities of HTC Zoe support advanced features such as Sequence Shot, Always Smile and Object Removal, making it easy to achieve incredible results with minimal effort.
Video Highlights takes the camera experience to the next level by creating highlight reels displayed on the HTC Desire’s 601’s 4.5″ qHD screen. Accompanied by a range of pre-set themes for a more personal memory, these stunning 30-second video montages are simple to create and instantly sharable.
Superfast streaming, sharing and browsing
The HTC Desire 601 combines a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400, dual-core, 1.4GHz processor and LTE connectivity to enable superfast HD video and music streaming with no compromise on quality. Changing the way you experience media on the go, dual, front-facing HTC BoomSound speakers join with the large screen to create a completely immersive audiovisual experience. Delivering richer, sharper tones, the raw power of the speakers lets you take the “big screen, big sound” home entertainment experience with you, wherever you go.
HTC Desire 300: A personal and powerful entry-level smartphone
The HTC Desire 300 enhances the entry-level browsing experience with HTC BlinkFeed making personal and up-to-date content and social media updates available instantly on your home screen. Its stunning 4.3”, full lamination display is perfect for reading your customised HTC BlinkFeed updates, watching videos, viewing photos and surfing the web, whilst the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ dual-core, 1GHz processor means that you’ll never be short on performance.
Boosting the bass for HTC One
In the HTC One, HTC redefined the smartphone sound experience with HTC BoomSound and has now raised the bar again with the introduction of a new accessory for the HTC One family. HTC BoomBass, a compact, Bluetooth-enabled subwoofer with a dedicated amplifier, provides clearer, more powerful bass when combined with the HTC One family’s BoomSound. The subwoofer enables HTC BoomSound’s speakers to produce enhanced quality of lower range frequencies so, no matter what music you’re playing or video you’re watching, you are guaranteed immense and exceptional sound that can travel with you.
Availability
The new HTC Desire 601 will be available with mobile operators and major retailers in select markets across EMEA from September 2013. The HTC Desire 300 will be available in select markets from October 2013.
The new Vivid Blue HTC One models will be available in select markets from Q4 2013 and HTC BoomBass will be available from the HTC Accessory Store from mid October 2013. (http://www.htcaccessorystore.com) For more information visit www.htc.com.
