HTC 8X And 8S Windows Phone 8 Smartphones Announced

HTC has unveiled two brand new smartphones running Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 operating system, the HTC 8X and the lower-end HTC 8S.

It had been reported earlier this month that the Taiwanese manufacturer was readying to board the Windows Phone 8 bandwagon and HTC will hope that its new smartphones will allow it to compete with the iPhone 5 which is set to be released on Friday.

Described as “the first signature Windows Phones”, the 8X and 8S have been given a “3D pillow-like” design aimed at complimenting the live tiles in Windows Phone 8.

HTC 8X

The HTC 8x is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor and comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It boasts a 720p 4.3-inch HD Super LCD 2 screen that is capable of producing a 1280 x 720 resolution. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass while optical lamination apparently reduces reflection and glare.

A 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera should improve the quality of video calls substantially, while an 8 megapixel camera promises improved low-light performance. A physical shutter button will take photos even if the smartphone is locked. Beats audio innovations promise to deliver studio quality sound.

The HTC 8S is less powerful, including just a 1 GHz Qualcomm S4 processor, 512 MB of RAM and just 4GB of storage. The screen is smaller too, while only a five megapixel camera is on board.

The 8X comes in California blue, graphite black, limelight yellow and flame red varieties, while the 8S will be available in domino black and white, fiesta red, Atlantic blue and high rise grey and yellow. HTC says that both smartphones will be available in more than 50 countries from November, with UK operators confirmed as Three, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and Virgin Media.

Windows Phone 8

HTC, which has released Windows Phone devices previously, is the latest manufacturer to put its weight behind Windows Phone 8 and will look to challenge the Nokia Lumia 920 as the platform’s flagship smartphone.

“Pairing these beautiful new HTC phones with our Windows Phone brand is a big milestone for both of our companies and our partnership.” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “Together we are offering customers a simple choice and a truly unique experience.”

“We’ve been inspired by Windows Phone 8 to create new smartphones that give the platform the iconic design and personality it deserves,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC “Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world.”

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