Taiwanese handset maker, HTC, is working on a new mid-range smartphone, recent benchmark results reveal. The upcoming mid-tier smartphone, which was tested using popular benchmarking tools AnTuTu and Geekbench, will likely feature the Snapdragon 710 chipset from Qualcomm.
This upper mid-range chipset from the American semiconductor firm contains an octa-core Kryo 360 CPU running at a maximum clock speed of 2.2GHz and the Adreno 616 GPU, and it also offers improved performance on artificial intelligence tasks and support for AI frameworks like TensorFlow and TensorFlow Lite.
Both benchmark results also reveal that the handset, which has the model number HTC 2Q7A100, will have 6GB of RAM, and the AnTuTu listing further shows that the device will have 128GB of internal flash storage. The smartphone will have an 18:9 aspect ratio display, with a resolution of 2160 x 1080, and like many recently-launched smartphones, the upcoming mid-range handset from HTC will ship with Android 9 Pie pre-installed.
Aside from the specifications shared by the benchmark results, there is little information available about the design or the possible name of the upcoming mid-range smartphone from HTC.
It is likely that the handset is still in an early stage of development, and it may take several months before HTC releases the device. However, late last year, the company released the HTC Desire 12s, which sported the Snapdragon 435 chipset and is available in Taiwan and China for under $200. In comparison, the upcoming mid-range device will have much more powerful chipset, which translates to considerably better performance. However, the more premium hardware internals of the handset will likely result in a higher price tag.
Consumers will likely see additional mid-range smartphones from HTC, as the company will now focus on developing mid-tier and premium devices. However, this corporate decision means that the handset maker will leave the low-end segment of the smartphone market. Moreover, reports indicate that HTC will revamp its handset offerings, and the Taiwanese tech firm may brand its devices differently this year.
Among the lineups that might be affected by the shift in marketing strategy is the company’s flagship HTC U series. Rumors emerged last November that HTC will not release a device named the HTC U13, and it will possibly launch the successor to the HTC U12+ with different branding. However, it is not yet clear if HTC’s mid-range handsets will also undergo a rebrand like its more expensive offerings.
Moving forward, despite its recent financial troubles, HTC will continue releasing smartphones in the foreseeable future, and recent reports indicate that HTC is also working on a 5G-capable smartphone. This handset will hit the store shelves in the second half of 2019, and the Taiwanese tech firm is also working on a variety of 5G mobile smart hub products to complement its 5G smartphone.
The company also plans to continue the integration of blockchain technologies into its devices, and it also predicts that virtual reality and augmented reality applications will take-off with the help of 5G. Given that HTC has an extensive portfolio of VR headsets, HTC could take advantage of its expertise in VR and AR to boost its smartphone portfolio once 5G handsets become more widespread.
