HTC selling One S in Asia and Europe with S3 processor

HTC has made a really big splash in the smartphone market this year with their One series of smartphones. The brand already launched their One X and One V handsets that did well in our reviews. However, they are yet to launch the One S and reports that surfaced in April pointed at a May launch date. Now with May well behind us, many have been wondering as to when this handset would be launched in India. A couple of days ago, we reported that the handset would finally make its way to India on June 15, 2012. At the time of the announcement, the One S was expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, but a report by The Verge states that this will not be the case and the brand will instead launch the handset using an S3 processor.

HTC One S coming with a different spec list

The Verge have managed to get in touch with HTC and the brand has confirmed that the handset is available in select markets across Asia and Europe with an S3 processor, as opposed to the S4 processor that was initially expected to feature on the device. The report states, “We reached out to HTC, who told us that the S3 version of the One S is being sold in Asia-Pacific regions as well as in some European markets. South Korea and Japan (where the HTC J is an S4-powered variant) are apparently not part of this substitution and exactly which European markets are seeing the switch isn't totally clear just yet. However, the good news is that HTC is labeling the S3 variants of the One S in the regions where it has made the change (hint: if the phone is clocked at 1.7GHz instead of 1.5GHz, it's probably using the S3).”

As for which variant will be launched in India; it is something that still needs to be known as the device is due to hit shelves in a couple of days. One reason that HTC may be using an S3 processor is because Qualcomm is having a tough time meeting the overwhelming demand for the Snapdragon S4. The report by The Verge stating that HTC had contacted them previously regarding the situation, elaborated, “As with many high-demand HTC devices, we always work with our supply chain partners to source models which will allow us to meet customer demand as quickly as possible. In cases where more than one part is used, we ensure the same high bar of quality in the part to provide an equal user experience.”

Here is a quick glance at the highlighted features of the HTC One S:

• Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4
• 4.3-inch with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels
• 1.7 or 1.5 GHz dual-core processor
• 8MP camera with AF, LED flash, BSI sensor and 1080p HD video recording
• F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens
• 16GB Internal memory
• 1GB RAM
• Beats Audio
• Wi-Fi, DLNA, micro-USB 2.0, HDMI
• 1650 mAh battery

Share your thoughts on HTC using a Snapdragon S4 processor on the One S in the comments below.