HTC Proto images leak online

Ever since HTC launched its One series of smartphones, the brand has been fairly quite regarding product announcements, though it must be said that it is planning to launch its range of Windows Phone 8 devices this year. Earlier this month, specifications of an HTC handset started doing the rounds and this handset is expected to be a refreshed version of the HTC One V. At the time, there were no images available of the handset but this has all changed as The Verge has now obtained images of an upcoming HTC smartphone which goes by the codename Proto.

From the images we can see that it shares a lot of similarities with the Desire V, but if reports are to be believed, then this handset will be a successor to the HTC One V.

First images of the handset surface

Here is a quick look at the supposed specifications of the HTC Proto:

• 4-inch, WVGA display
• 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor
• 5 megapixel camera with flash
• Beats Audio

An earlier report by The Verge has insight on some of the specifications and it states, “Measuring 9.62mm thick, the Proto has a 4-inch WVGA SLCD display — up from the One V's 3.7-inch component — along with a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, and 7.2Mbps HSPA. One V owners frustrated with performance might be most intrigued by the Proto's processor bump, though: it'll have a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8225 (a lower-end member of the Snapdragon S4 series) clocked at 1GHz, which is a good deal better than the One V's single-core unit. The Proto is lined up for Beats Audio branding.”

The handset is expected to be unveiled at IFA 2012. Another handset that will be showcased at the event is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Earlier reports have indicated that the next generation Galaxy Note is expected to feature the Pen-tile matrix display instead of the RGB variant used in the S II. Apart from the screen size, the design is said to be heavily inspired from the Galaxy S III, so we can expect a similar form factor with heavily rounded edges and a pebble-like design. If the Note II is indeed modelled around the S III, there is a good chance that the phone will get some or all of the ‘S’ features such as S Beam, Smart Stay eye tracking and Smart Voice.

This handset is also believed to be equipped with a flexible screen, owing to which it can withstand bumps to an extremely large degree. The report also says that the semi-flexible screen used on the Galaxy Note 2 will allow the handset to be thinner, and this will also help the manufacturer to add a larger battery to the device.

Here is a quick look at some of the supposed specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2:

• 5.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with a 1680 × 1050
• 4G LTE, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC
• GPS possibly with GLONASS and A-GPS support
• Bluetooth possible v4.0 with USB and hopefully, USB-on-the-go
• 12/ 13 megapixel AF/ Touchfocus camera with full HD video recording and playback
• A front facing camera for video calls and chats
• Possibly a 64GB edition, along with 16GB and 32GB versions, all with expandable support
• MHL for AV out