HTC unveils Windows, Android smartphones

MANILA, Philippines - HTC, a global leader in smartphones, recently unveiled the first signature Windows Phones, the Windows Phone 8X.

The P28,800 smartphone features the new Windows Phone 8 operating system and boasts an iconic design, studio-quality Beats Audio, and superb camera capabilities.

“Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world,” said Lennard Hoornik, president for South Asia of HTC Corp.

“We are confident that the iconic design and incredible innovation of the Windows Phone 8X by HTC will help consumers fully realize the potential and lifestyle benefits offered by this smartphone,” he added.

Boasting the eye-candy Live Tiles graphical user interface, Windows Phone has a clear, differentiated vision and the consumer experience has been widely hailed as being groundbreaking, innovative and fresh.

HTC created the Windows Phone 8X to blend the virtual and the physical utilizing a three-dimensional, pure unibody design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles.

The Windows Phone 8X by HTC is sculpted with a dramatic taper, making it feel magically thin in your hand.

Because color is such an integral part of the Windows Phone experience, HTC is applying bold, adventurous colors, including California blue and graphite black, in a premium matte finish to the 8X.

For the first time, HTC is introducing a 2.1MP, f/2.0 aperture, 88-degree ultra-wide-angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people and more to be captured at once. It also supports 1080p video capture. 

The rear camera sports an 8MP sensor with backside-illumination for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens and the dedicated HTC ImageChip. 

A physical shutter button makes it quick and easy to capture spontaneous action, even if the phone is locked. 

The 8X features Beats Audio which offers a unique audio amplifier powering the 3.5mm audio jack and the speaker, boosting the audio signal for studio-quality sound for music, games or video.

HTC’s new Windows Phone also features a stunning 4.3-inch HD-resolution super-LCD 2 screen resistant to everyday bumps and scrapes, thanks to its lightweight Gorilla Glass 2, while optical lamination reduces reflections and glare even under the sun. 

With the Windows Phone 8X by HTC, people can carry their favorite music, movies and photos with them wherever they go. And with its Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live, it’s easier than ever to enjoy the latest video, music and games on the move.

HTC One X+

With the HTC Windows Phone 8X, on one hand, the Android-powered HTC One X+ presents a one-two punch to Apple’s iPhone 5.

Running the HTC Sense 4+ experience on Android Jelly Bean, the P32,800 HTC One X+ combines the iconic design, amazing camera and authentic audio experience of the HTC One series with increased performance, longer battery life and expanded internal storage. 

“We are taking the award-winning HTC One X to a new level with the introduction of the new HTC One X+,” said Hoornik.

“Our customers will have super-fast browsing, an even better camera and more immersive entertainment with Beats Audio,” he added.

Featuring a 1.7 GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 AP37 processor, the HTC One X+ is 27 percent faster than its predecessor, making the HTC One X+ the best-rated Android phone in the market.

Developed to be lightning-fast, the HTC One X+ enables quicker Web browsing, fluid gaming and graphic rendering, and speedy downloads.

In addition to its increased performance speeds, the HTC One X+ introduces extended performance with the inclusion of a 2100mAh battery, giving up to 4.7 hours more time to talk, browse the Web and enjoy music and videos.

In addition to a whopping 64GB of internal storage, the HTC One X+ also offers users 25GB of Dropbox storage free for two years, and supports expanded storage capabilities via USB.

The newly launched Self Portrait mode on the front camera captures high-quality photos by intuitively detecting the human face at various angles and applying subtle enhancements to skin and eyes.

Sightseeing mode lets users capture the moment — one touch of the power button bypasses the lock screen and launches directly into the camera. Two new views in Gallery display images and videos and group them according to where and when they were taken.

Exclusively available on HTC smartphones, Beats Audio is also standard on the One X+. Making it easier to listen to music out loud, and through Sense 4+, the HTC One X+ introduces a new Tap and Go function, which allows you to connect and disconnect the phone and your music to Beats speakers’ when you tap them.

Meanwhile, HTC Connect and HTC Media Link HD expand media-sharing and possibilities beyond the HTC smartphone.

HTC Connect sets a new standard for streaming DLNA audio and video from the HTC One phone to platform-certified home entertainment systems from leading partners such as Pioneer.

HTC has also made it easier to share media content with friends and family with its HTC Media Link HD. Turn any HDMI-enabled TV into the big screen which can display your photos, videos, or anything else on your phone. 

A new digital photo frame feature can save and display up to 30 photos in slide show mode. HTC Media Link HD also supports a growing number of popular codecs, including HTTP Live Streaming.

“HTC understands that your smartphone is not just a communications gadget, but also the linchpin of today’s multimedia lifestyle,” noted Hoornik.

“We have made sharing your music and video content easier, better and bigger than ever before in a social and interactive way, so enjoy!” he added.

A new feature in the HTC One X+ is HTC Get Started, a new Web service that guides the user painlessly through the set-up and personalization process from a desktop Web browser. 

Designed to enhance the experience of setting up a phone for the first time, this feature ensures that users will get the most out of their new phone from the beginning. 

With the touch of a button, users’ phone will reflect the settings and apps that were chosen on the Web.