HTC on Sunday announced that some of its smartphones have already been inspected by United States Customs and have been released to carriers. The Taiwan-based vendor hit a roadblock last week when its devices were held up in Customs due to an ongoing legal dispute with Apple. “Each imported HTC model must be reviewed by Customs and will be released once Customs officials have completed the inspection,” the company wrote on its website. “Some models have gone through inspection and been released to our carriers customers. We don’t have the status of each specific device model at this time, but we are working closely with Customs. We remain confident that this issue will be resolved soon.” Earlier reports suggested that HTC is using a custom Android build in the U.S. to dodge the Apple patents in question, which revolve around a “data tapping” functionality.

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HTC is in a tough spot as two of its new flagship smartphones — smartphones it desperately needs to make available in the United States as it attempts to mount a comeback — are currently held up in Customs due to a patent spat with Apple. The Taiwan-based vendor issued a statement earlier this week claiming that its devices comply with an order issued by the International Trade Commission, thus suggesting the ITC will release the shipments soon. According to a report from The Verge, this is indeed the case and HTC used custom Android builds to dodge the Apple patents in question. The report claims HTC circumvented the use of Apple’s protected ”data tapping” functionality by implementing a new settings menu that allows the user to adjust default app associations. HTC and Sprint will still miss the scheduled launch of the EVO 4G LTE but if the report is accurate, HTC’s new flagship phones should clear Customs soon.

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Successfully launching an iconic smartphone is a daunting task, and following up a blockbuster flagship phone launch is even more difficult. Apple and Samsung might make it look easy, but companies like Motorola, Nokia and RIM have shown us that the success of one phone is anything but a guarantee that sequels will be met with the same fanfare. Perhaps no recent smartphone launch better embodies that notion than the HTC EVO 4G, a smartphone that gave Sprint a much-needed smash hit when it launched in 2010, and its successor the EVO 3D, which is now all but forgotten less than a year after its debut. Now, Sprint and HTC are back again with the HTC EVO 4G LTE, a smartphone that is more than worthy of its “flagship” designation. Impressive though it may be on paper, can Sprint score an EVO 4G-sized hit with this upcoming superphone or is it destined to meet the same fate as the EVO 3D? My full review follows below.

The Inside

HTC’s business exploded beginning in early 2011, and the company went on a run that saw it post record revenue for six consecutive months. The vendor’s growth came to a screeching halt in the fourth quarter, however, thanks to the launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S and increased competition from Samsung. HTC is well aware that it fell behind, and it is also well aware that a window may have opened; the company’s direct response to a BGR article on the matter suggests HTC is ready for battle, and on paper, the HTC EVO 4G LTE — Sprint’s branded and redesigned version of the HTC One X — is a very powerful weapon.

As is the case with AT&T’s One X, the HTC EVO 4G LTE loses NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 chipset in favor of the LTE-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, which includes a 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU and an Adreno225 GPU. Performance and responsiveness may or may not take a hit as a result of the change, but I did experience the same performance hiccups covered in my review of the HTC One S.

HTC’s Sense 4 UI and service layer sits atop Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and it is most definitely a step in the right direction compared to previous versions of Sense. As discussed in BGR’s review of HTC’s One S for T-Mobile, Sense 4 goes back to the basics for HTC. It focuses more on adding value for the end user and less on differentiation for the sake of differentiation.

Beyond the processor and operating system, this smartphone is packed to the brim with cutting-edge technology. In terms of connectivity it includes CDMA, EV-DO, LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n with DLNA and mobile hotspot support, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0 and near-field communication (NFC) support. It also features 16GB of internal storage, a microSD slot for up to 32GB of additional memory, 1GB of RAM, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, a compass and plenty more.

Though the EVO 4G LTE is only 8.9 millimeters thick, HTC managed to squeeze in a 2,000 mAh battery. While I couldn’t test the device’s battery performance on Sprint’s 4G LTE network since such a thing does not exist, battery life on Wi-Fi and 2G/3G was more than ample. I was able to easily make it through a full day of moderate usage on a single charge, and after charging the phone early in the morning, I often didn’t have to plug the EVO back in until mid-way through the following day.

Typical usage during my testing included streaming music via Pandora, regularly interacting with Twitter, monitoring Reddit with Baconreader, staying on top of the news with gReader and News360, capturing a bunch of photos and some video, browsing the Web in Chrome and sending and receiving more email than any man should ever have to deal with.

The Outside

As is the case with most modern flagship phones from HTC, the EVO 4G LTE’s build is second to none. Barring one area that I will soon cover at length, HTC used top-notch materials on the EVO and the result is a solid smartphone that feels like a premium product should.

The display and capacitive navigation buttons on the HTC EVO 4G LTE are covered with Gorilla Glass by Corning, and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera sits above the top of the screen alongside the ear speaker. Calls on the EVO were loud and clear, and people I spoke to during my tests had no complaints whatsoever regarding call quality.

The display on this smartphone is very impressive. HTC opted for a Super LCD2 panel that squeezes high-definition 720 x 1,280-pixel resolution into display that measures 4.7-inches diagonally, and the result is a pixel density of 312 ppi. It’s a beautiful display.

While the clarity isn’t on par with the likes of Apple’s Retina display on the iPhone, it is certainly among the most impressive I’ve seen on a smartphone. Images and high-definition video look fantastic on the EVO 4G LTE’s screen, and UI elements are impressive as well. Colors aren’t quite as deep as they are on the Super AMOLED panel HTC used in the One S, but the higher resolution is well worth the trade off.

The right side of the phone contains a volume rocker and a dedicated two-stage camera shutter button — something that is noticeably absent from AT&T’s version of the One X — and the left edge of the phone is home only to a microUSB port. The top of the new EVO includes a power button, a secondary microphone for noise cancellation and a standard audio jack, while the bottom contains the primary mic. On the back of the smartphone sits a loudspeaker, a camera, a single LED flash and a red aluminum kickstand.

The bulk of the case is made of anodized aluminum, but HTC added a twist to its design that we have not seen before on any smartphone. The unibody aluminum part of the case is anodized in black across the entirety of its exterior surface, but then the anodized layer is ground away in a thin strip around the outer edge of the phone. The result is a sleek black case with red accents on the back, and then a brushed aluminum band around the outer edge of the phone.

It’s an interesting idea that might have made for a fantastic looking smartphone had HTC not used a glossy black plastic piece to cover the top half of the back of the EVO 4G LTE.

The Upside

I had a great deal of praise for HTC’s fourth major iteration of Sense when I reviewed the One S for T-Mobile recently, and Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE keeps the experience surprisingly pure.

“Sprint Zone” is the only carrier-branded application you’ll find on this smartphone out of the box, and it can hardly be categorized as annoying, intrusive or “bloatware.” Quite to the contrary, the app offers a single hub through which users can access account management features, app recommendations, a Sprint store locator and plenty more. In theory, this is great. In practice, the first time I tried to access anything through Sprint Zone (the Manage Your Account link), the app froze, couldn’t be killed using the EVO’s built-in task manager, and remained useless until I rebooted.

Beyond Sprint Zone and a visual voicemail app, the EVO 4G LTE experience is essentially exactly as HTC intended it. HTC dialed Sense 4 back a bit after taking user feedback to heart. The result is an attractive user interface that adds unique visual elements to Google’s Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich UI, a suite of custom apps and a series of great features that enhance Android.

Samsung will push the envelope further with the launch of the Galaxy S III this summer, but HTC’s subtle functionality automation tweaks really add to the overall user experience where daily operation is concerned. The examples I mentioned in my One S review are still among my favorite: a simple setting has Sense greet users with the weather forecast each morning on the lock screen, another setting that automatically enables speakerphone mode when the phone is placed face-down on a table during a call and disables it when the phone is picked back up, and so on.

Moving past the software, the display on the EVO 4G LTE is another bright spot for this flagship phone.

In the television industry, display quality is everything. Vendors strive to outdo each other, and later this year we will see Samsung and LG push things to the next level when they release their debut 55-inch OLED TVs. Of course display quality will never be as important to smartphones as it is to TVs, for obvious reasons, but I believe we are quickly approaching a time when picture quality will be regularly named among users’ top priorities when choosing a device.

Samsung and Apple are clear leaders in this space right now. Apple’s Retina display on the iPhone 4S offers unrivaled clarity and Samsung’s Super AMOLED panels feature vivid colors that no other screen even approaches. Competitors are regularly narrowing the gap, however, and HTC can certainly be counted among the smartphone players that have recognized the importance of display quality on phones.

HTC’s One S utilized a Super AMOLED display panel on while the color reproduction is definitely more impressive, the Super LCD2 panel on the EVO is outstanding. Colors are often a bit more faint compared to AMOLED displays, but the clarity is where this screen shines. Compared to panels on HTC’s previous-generation smartphones, the EVO 4G LTE’s 720p high-definition display is clearer and brighter, and it really does have a significant impact on the user experience.

The camera and Beats Audio are two more big check marks in the plus column for this phone. The EVO 4G LTE sports an 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 wide-angle lens, and it is powered by a dedicated chip. It can capture 8-megapixel still images while recording 1080p HD video at 60 frames per second, and it can also shoot multiple full-resolution images per second in burst mode.

HTC’s camera on the new EVO can capture an 8-megapixel image and then return to a ready state in less than a second. The camera app in Sense also includes a number of Instagram-like photo filters that can be previewed in real-time, and having a dedicated two-stage shutter button makes the camera experience even better than it is on AT&T’s version of the One X.

Beats Audio works across all music apps on the EVO 4G LTE, as it does on all One-series phones, and it may very well offer the most impressive listening experience among all smartphones on the market. Beats tuning enhanced sound quality across every genre I played from my own catalog during testing, and it dramatically improves the listening experience with streaming apps like Pandora and Spotify as well.

The Downside

As impressed as I have been with the overall user experience offered by the HTC EVO 4G LTE, two gigantic road blocks lie between me and any possibility of an enthusiastic recommendation to run out and buy this phone when Sprint releases it in the near future.

First things first: it’s hideous.

I’ll elaborate — from the front, the new EVO is a great looking phone. It basically looks like any other full touchscreen handset. Tilting the device to its side exposes the brushed metal detailing that surrounds the outer edge of the phone, which is a unique feature that might help separate this phone from the pack. Flip the phone over to expose its back, however, and the fun is over.

HTC uses various plastics on the exterior casing that surrounds its many phone models. AT&T’s One X utilizes a sleek polycarbonate, and a number of other devices feature a soft-touch rubbery finish that feels great in the hand. I enjoy either of those options.

The EVO 4G LTE includes two plastics on the exterior of the device. Near the bottom of the back, there is a narrow hard plastic area near the speaker that nearly matches the aluminum finish above it. It breaks up the lines a bit, but it works. Above the aluminum region that sits near the middle of the back of the phone lies a red aluminum strip that houses the device’s kickstand. It’s not my cup of tea but there are definitely people who will enjoy this design element.

Then comes the cheap, glossy, flimsy, grease magnet of a plastic cover that houses the antennas and covers the microSD card slot.

During the week I have spent with the EVO 4G LTE, I asked more than a dozen friends, family and random people of varying ages for their initial impressions of this smartphone. Without exception, a complaint about the appearance of the handset was among the first few comments made, and it was often accompanied by an expression that might involuntarily cross one’s face after taking a big swig of milk that spoiled a month earlier.

I honestly have no idea who the look of the EVO 4G LTE might appeal to.

Why HTC chose this finish is beyond me, because the soft-touch finish found on other HTC models would have looked great here. I sincerely hope Sprint enlists the help of some top-notch protective case designers and offers a wide variety of high-quality third-party cases in its stores across the country, because something needs to be done to cover the back of this phone.

My other major qualm with this smartphone involves data speeds. Painfully slow data speeds.

T-Mobile and AT&T get jabbed constantly for marketing their HSPA+ networks as “4G.” In these cases, a matter of marketing is at the root of the debate and data speeds are typically more than adequate.

In the case of the EVO 4G LTE, Sprint is actually selling a device with “4G LTE” in its name and no 4G LTE network to support it. Sprint will roll out its LTE network over the next 18 months or so, but in the meantime, I spent a week testing a “4G LTE” phone with download speeds that averaged less than 1Mbps.

And as an aside, that name — ”HTC EVO 4G LTE” — is a horrible one. Enough with “4G” and “LTE” in phone names, carriers.

The Bottom Line

When it launches in the near future — the phone was supposed to be released on May 18th but a delay caused by a patent spat between HTC and Apple has left things up in the air — the HTC EVO 4G LTE will easily be one of the most impressive flagship smartphones Sprint has ever released. And one of the ugliest. And one of the slowest.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I truly have no idea who might look at the back of the HTC EVO 4G LTE and think to him or herself, “now this is one gorgeous smartphone.” In my unscientific study, I did not find a single person who liked the look of this phone. Instead, each and every person I handed the device to said it was “ugly,” “gross,” “nasty,” or “hideous” without any provocation.

Aesthetics are open to discussion but performance is not. This smartphone, which includes the term “4G LTE” in its name, is the slowest flagship device I have tested in recent memory. Compared to Verizon Wireless and AT&T’s LTE networks or even T-Mobile and AT&T’s HSPA networks, the data speeds I experienced while testing the EVO 4G LTE were simply pathetic.

Of course this phone is slow, you might say to yourself. Sprint hasn’t yet begun to roll out its next-generation 4G LTE network!

This is indeed the case, and while Sprint is under immense pressure to catch up in terms of network technology, launching the EVO 4G LTE without any 4G LTE network to support it — and having the audacity to include “4G LTE” in the device’s name — is putting the cart before the horse at best. At worst, it’s disingenuous.

The simple truth is that most customers who consider purchasing the “EVO 4G LTE” will do so with the belief that the phone will come alongside “4G LTE” service. For early adopters, this will not be the case. In fact, even months from now as 2012 rolls into 2013, a huge chunk of Sprint’s nationwide network will still not support LTE service.

At $199.99 on contract, the EVO 4G LTE offers a user experience that is second to none… as long as you cover it with a third-party case and stay within range of a Wi-Fi network. If you would prefer to roam about freely and maintain fast data speeds, or if you shudder at the thought of ruining the handset’s 8.9-millimeter thick profile with a bulky case, looking elsewhere might be the best option.

The launch of Sprint’s flagship EVO 4G LTE has been delayed indefinitely and supply of AT&T’s flagship HTC One X will be constrained as a result of ongoing patent disputes between HTC and Apple. HTC confirmed in a statement emailed to BGR on Tuesday evening that shipments of its new EVO 4G LTE and One X smartphones have been held up by United States Customs as part of an International Trade Commission investigation. Before the phones can clear Customs, the ITC will need to determine that HTC’s new handsets are in compliance with an earlier ruling.

“The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order,” an HTC spokesperson said. “We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.”

Sprint was scheduled to launch the EVO 4G LTE, a customized version of the One X, on May 18th for $199.99 on contract. AT&T made the One X available earlier this month, however the device is now listed as out of stock on AT&T’s website and supply will be constrained until shipments clear Customs. The import delays mark the first time one of Apple’s numerous patent complaints against rivals in the U.S. has paid off.

Shares of HTC stock tumbled more than 6% on news of the import delays.

Sprint on Wednesday announced that its upcoming flagship Android smartphone, the HTC EVO 4G LTE, will become available on May 18th for $199.99 on contract. While Sprint doesn’t yet have a nationwide 4G LTE network to support the new One-series smartphone, subscribers will find plenty of cutting-edge technology to tide them over until Sprint begins flipping the switch on LTE. Key features of the new phone include a 4.7-inch 720p HD display, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8-megapixel camera with HTC’s Image Sense technology, and Sense 4 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. BGR took a hands-on look at the EVO 4G LTE last month and called it an impressive smartphone with an aesthetic that may be a deal-breaker for some. Sprint’s full press release follows below.

Sprint Debuts HTC EVO 4G LTE on May 18 for $199.99

HTC EVO 4G LTE is now available for pre-order at www.sprint.com/evo4glte

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 09, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national wireless carrier offering truly unlimited data for all phones while on the Sprint network1, and HTC, a global designer of smartphones, announce the Friday, May 18, availability of the next evolution of the award-winning HTC EVO™ family, HTC EVO™ 4G LTE.

It will cost $199.99 with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement (excludes taxes). Pre-order began May 7 at www.sprint.com/evo4glte.

“HTC EVO 4G LTE sets the benchmark for Android devices this year with its incredible 4.7-inch screen, advanced camera features and future HD voice capabilities when combined with the speed of Sprint’s upcoming 4G LTE network,” said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “Its cutting-edge technology pairs perfectly with Sprint’s unlimited data plans to let our customers enjoy their wireless experience without worrying about overage charges or throttling.”

HTC EVO 4G LTE is built on Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, integrated with HTC Sense™ 4. It focuses on exceptional improvements in camera technology, audio and voice quality on both the network and device.

HTC ImageSense™ brings improvements to every part of the amazing camera experience featuring a superfast autofocus to enable continuous shooting, the ability to capture still images while taking video, and increasing the quality of photos taken in adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting.

HTC EVO 4G LTE is Sprint’s first device with HTC’s Authentic Sound experience integrating Beats Audio™. The technology enables customers to hear music the way the artist intended with unique audio tuning that delivers thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs. Beats Audio is enabled across the entire phone experience, including playing music stored on the device, streaming from a favorite service, watching a movie or YouTube™ video, or playing the latest hot game.

HTC EVO 4G LTE boasts brilliant features, including a vibrant 4.7-inch HD display, future HD voice capabilities2, 2000mAh embedded battery and 8-megapixel rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel front-facing cameras. It is powered by the Snapdragon™ S4 processor by Qualcomm, delivering best-in-class performance and a power efficient platform for exceptionally long battery life. HTC EVO 4G LTE brings back the fan-favorite kickstand built into the smartphone’s refined, slim design.

“With the HTC EVO 4G LTE, we’re launching a true successor the original EVO, bringing a focus on innovation, design and industry-leading consumer experiences,” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. “The millions of current and new EVO fans will appreciate our amazing camera that’s superfast, easy-to-use and takes video and photos at the same time as well as our enhanced audio experience that you need to hear to believe.”

Respected device critics are buzzing with excitement for HTC EVO 4G LTE. Here are a few of the praises that poured in when it was announced earlier this month:

“The HTC EVO 4G LTE is a good looking phone and will make fans of Sprint’s EVO line very, very happy. It packs every spec anyone could possibly ask for: dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 8-megapixel camera, 4.7-inch HD display, and the latest Android 4.0 operating system, enhanced by Sense 4.0. Oh, let’s not forget the kickstand!” – Eric Zeman, Phonescoop

“The original superphone has been reborn.” – Mark Spoonauer, Laptop Magazine

“As for first impressions, I was shocked when I finally got to hold an EVO 4G LTE. In the presentation videos the phone looked thick and bulky. In person, it’s anything but. It is thin, deceptively lightweight and absolutely beautiful.” – Gary Krakow, TheStreet.com

“Yesterday Sprint and HTC made a joint announcement, unveiling the brand new EVO 4G LTE. It’s an impressive device. Thin, light, fast, powerful, the whole package.” – Steve Kovach, Business Insider

HTC EVO 4G LTE customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones – a savings of $40 per month versus Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings versus Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web (excludes taxes and surcharges).

HTC EVO 4G LTE is one of the first devices available with Sprint Professional Grade, a new designation for select smartphones that deliver enhanced security, device management and Exchange Active Sync capabilities to business users. Click here to learn more about Sprint Professional Grade designation.

As part of the HTC EVO 4G LTE launch, Sprint will be giving customers a chance to share their LOVE on Facebook. To learn how you could enter for the chance to win UNLIMITED LOVE, make sure to visit Sprint’s Facebook page on May 18 for details.

Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year. The anticipated launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Sprint customers in these areas will soon enjoy ultra-fast data speeds and improved 3G voice quality. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

Sprint’s director of consumer acquisition, David Owens, said at the CTIA Wireless trade show on Tuesday that he’s “still bullish on Apollo,” possibly indicating the nation’s third-largest carrier plans to soon offer a wider selection of Windows Phone devices, PCMag reported. Owens at CES in January said the network’s only Windows Phone handset, the HTC Arrive, hadn’t “done well enough for us to jump back into the fire.” He did say, however, that Sprint would look into Windows Phone 8, known as Apollo, in the “August-September time period.” When asked about Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Owens said the carrier was “very pleased with the success of the Galaxy S II,” but he would not give further details about Samsung’s next-generation flagship phone. Owens did say that Sprint plans to release “12-15 LTE devices” between now and the end of the year, including smartphones, tablets, USB modems and hotspots. So far, the company has announced the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper and the HTC EVO 4G LTE.

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HTC’s new line of One-series smartphones launched on April 2nd in Europe and parts of Asia, but HTC’s performance hasn’t yet caught up to the impressive earnings it managed last year. HTC reported six consecutive months of record revenue in 2011 before increased competition from Samsung and the launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S began a steep slide that continued last month. HTC on Monday announced that its consolidated revenue for the month of April totaled NT$31.03 billion, or approximately $1.06 billion. Performance improved for the second consecutive month, up from NT$30.88 in March, but sales were down 20% from NT$38.73 in April last year. HTC’s One S smartphone launched late last month on T-Mobile and the flagship HTC One X became available from AT&T on Sunday.

HTC and Verizon Wireless on Monday unveiled their newest DROID-branded smartphone, the DROID Incredible 4G LTE. Launching in the coming weeks, the newest addition to the Incredible franchise features a 4-inch qHD Super LCD display, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8-megapixel camera, Beats Audio and Sense 4 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. No details regarding pricing were made available, however the phone made a brief appearance on Verizon’s website listed at $299.99. The HTC One S, which the new Incredible is based on, is currently available from T-mobile without LTE connectivity for $199.99 on contract. Verizon’s full press release follows below.

HTC AND VERIZON WIRELESS REVEAL DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE New DROID INCREDIBLE Offers Advanced Camera Capabilities, Beats Audio and 4G LTE Speeds from Verizon Wireless

NEW ORLEANS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – From International CTIA Wireless^® 2012, Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced the new and exclusive DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC.  The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE enhances the customer experience by offering high-quality photo and audio capabilities, combined with the power of 4G LTE speeds.  Running the latest version of HTC Sense^™ 4.0, HTC’s branded user experience integrated with Google’s^™ mobile operating system, Android^™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, the new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE brings a sophisticated, pocket-friendly device to America’s fastest 4G LTE network.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC features Beats Audio^™ which is enabled across the entire experience for a rich and authentic sound whether customers watch a YouTube^™ video, play a game, or stream music over 4G LTE.  Beats Audio allows customers to listen to music the way the artist intended with thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs.

The DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE captures life’s special moments with an advanced 8-megapixel camera with quick activation from the home screen so customers never miss that perfect shot.  Additionally, there’s no longer a need to choose between shooting video or taking photos, HTC Video Pic^™ allows users to shoot HD video and capture photos at the same time.  With 4G LTE speeds, sharing photos and video via email, uploading to the cloud or posting to social networking sites is a breeze.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE is packed with features to make life easier and customizable.  Customers can personalize and use lock screen shortcuts to quickly access their four favorite apps.  Folders can easily be created on any home screen for additional customization and organization.  A Read Later feature allows people short on time the ability to save browser content like news articles and websites that can be viewed later, even while offline.  The smartphone is also NFC capable so customers can take advantage of Android Beam^™ to quickly share Web pages, apps, contacts and YouTube^™ videos with friends by simply tapping two compatible phones together.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is available in 230 markets across the Unites States.  In real-world, fully loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.  When customers travel outside of 4G LTE coverage areas, devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.

Additional features:       

• 4-inch super LCD qHD display
• 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash, BSI, f/2.2 and 28 mm lens
• Front-facing camera for video chatting with friends and family
• 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon^™ S4 processor
• Mobile Hotspot capable to share 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• Support for up to 32 GB microSD^™ memory card
• 1,700 mAh lithium ion removable battery

The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com in the coming weeks.

Behold the Ghost of Palm Past. Earlier this week, industry watchers got to relive the rise and fall of webOS as Research In Motion gave the world a brief look at a gorgeous new smartphone platform while failing to convince anyone that it can succeed in a market dominated by Apple and Google. RIM’s stock plummeted from a high of $14.62 earlier this week to the $11-range as a result. Then, on Thursday, Samsung took the wraps off its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III. The impressive smartphone’s design was described as having been inspired by pebbles that had been smoothed be the flow of water in a river. There was once another smartphone with a design inspired by river rocks, but I can’t quite put my finger on it…

To make Samsung’s Galaxy S III announcement even more Palm-like, the South Korean vendor even aired a short promotional video featuring a somewhat creepy woman discussing the new phone. Granted, she didn’t appear to be hallucinating at the time, but the similarities between this promo and Palm’s uncomfortably pale spokeswoman were definitely there.

Of course Samsung certainly is not where Palm was in 2009, and it isn’t where RIM is today. Samsung is the No.1 smartphone vendor in the world, and its mobile business is pushing the company’s profits to new heights.

But despite a big-budget press conference featuring a live orchestra and an Olympic Games sponsorship, the Samsung Galaxy S III wasn’t met with overwhelming enthusiasm, as Samsung had undoubtedly hoped.

The Galaxy S III is an impressive phone. It features a quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos processor, a gigantic 4.8-inch high-definition Super AMOLED display and an ultra-slim case that is among the thinnest in the world. Even still, it’s just not that exciting.

The design looks to be a less impressive take on HTC’s One X, opting for cheap plastic in place of HTC’s unibody polycarbonate case. Samsung’s “S Voice” voice-command feature is a dumbed down version of Siri, and AllShare is all too familiar. Some might say Samsung’s new TouchWiz interface atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich can’t match the sleek look and feel of HTC’s Sense 4, and the Galaxy S III’s new camera software is a clear improvement over previous-generation Samsung handsets, but it falls well short of matching HTC’s Image Sense software and the new camera hardware found on its One-series phones.

The biggest winner on Thursday afternoon may very well have been HTC.

Samsung’s new smartphone will launch on nearly 300 carriers in the coming months, and it will be a top seller. Samsung mobile boss JK Shin on Thursday said that the company aims to sell 200 million smartphones in 2012, and the way things are looking right now, this is a very real possibility — Samsung shipped an estimated 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, and its new flagship phone won’t even begin rolling out until later this month.

There is another vendor that should be doing everything in its power to make sure Samsung doesn’t meet that goal, however, and that vendor is HTC. HTC had a record run in 2011 that was abruptly halted when Apple launched the iPhone 4S. The Taiwan-based smartphone company has been sliding since then, and its profit plummeted 70% in the first quarter this year.

HTC responded with three smartphones. Three fantastic smartphones that marry cutting edge technology with sleek designs and high quality materials. We’ve seen what a company can do with just three smartphones, but products alone won’t right this ship. HTC might be well-served to take a page from Apple’s book and double, triple or even quadruple down on marketing. No consumer electronics company spends more money marketing its gadgets than Apple, and perhaps not entirely by coincidence, no consumer electronics company in the world makes as much money as Apple.

The HTC One S — one of the most gorgeous smartphones I have ever held — is now available on T-Mobile, a carrier in desperate need of a hit. Or is it? Did the One S even launch? Is T-Mobile selling it? For every HTC One S commercial on TV, I see 20 commercials featuring the T-Mobile girl decked out in leather riding around on a crotch rocket while on-screen text talks up T-Mobile’s 4G network. Maybe it’s because I’m in a small market (New York) and HTC and T-Mobile are hitting larger markets harder with the One S.

And is the One X launching this Sunday on AT&T? I know AT&T sells the iPhone and the carrier is making sure as many people as possible are made aware of Nokia’s Lumia 900 thanks to the Finnish vendor’s deep pockets, but HTC’s One X will hardly be a contender at AT&T — which sells more smartphones than any other carrier in the all-too-important U.S. market — unless HTC puts its money where its mouth is.

Maybe HTC is banking on Sprint’s version of the One X, the HTC EVO 4G LTE, which is an amazing LTE phone with no LTE network to support it and a back cover that might invoke your gag reflex.

There is a window, and it is open. HTC got a head start on Samsung’s Galaxy S III and its One-series smartphones have everything it takes to find success… if wireless subscribers are made aware of their existence more effectively and aggressively.

That window may slam shut this summer when the Galaxy S III launches, and it may have iron bars bolted over it this coming fall when Apple launches its next-generation iPhone. In the meantime, HTC has little time to spare if it hopes to seize this opportunity and become a smartphone leader once again.

ComScore on Tuesday announced the results of a three month study on the smartphone market in the United States. The research firm found Google’s Android operating system has continued to grow, increasing its market share from 47.3% in December to 51% in March. Apple’s iOS accounted for 30.7% of all smartphone subscribers in the U.S., an increase from 29.6% in December. Research In Motion ranked third with a 12.3% share, followed by Microsoft’s Windows Phone at 3.9% and Symbian with a 1.4% share. The study also revealed that more than 106 million Americans own a smartphone, up 9% from December, while 234 million Americans age 13 and older used a mobile device during the quarter. Samsung ranked as the top mobile device vendor with 26% of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with a 19.3% share and Apple with 14%. A second chart from comScore follows below.

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The global smartphone market grew by 42.5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012, as the worldwide mobile phone market declined 1.5%. According to market research firm IDC, vendors shipped a total of 398.4 million mobile phones in the first quarter compared to 404.3 million units in the same quarter last year. Samsung ousted longtime leader Nokia to become the world’s largest mobile phone vendor, and it topped Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone vendor. The South Korea-based vendor increased its profits by 82% to a record 5.05 trillion won in the first quarter, and shipped 42.2 million smartphones to capture 29.1% of the market according to IDC. Apple’s smartphone share grew around 6%, as the Cupertino-based company shipped 35.1 units to capture 24.2% of market.

“The race between Apple and Samsung remained tight during the quarter, even as both companies posted growth in key areas,” said IDC senior research analyst Ramon Llamas. “Apple launched its popular iPhone 4S in additional key markets, most notably in China, and Samsung experienced continued success from its Galaxy Note smartphone/tablet and other Galaxy smartphones. With other companies in the midst of major strategic transitions, the contest between Apple and Samsung will bear close observation as hotly-anticipated new models are launched.”

Samsung and Apple’s gains have come at the expense of Nokia, Research in Motion and HTC. Nokia shipped a mere 11.9 million smartphones, down from 24.2 million, falling roughly 15% to capture only 8.2% of the global smartphone market. RIM’s share fell from 13.6% in the first quarter of 2011 to 6.7% last quarter, and HTC’s market share dropped from 8.9% to 4.8%.

Samsung’s smartphone growth also helped propel the company into the No.1 spot among all mobile phone vendors. The South Korean company saw year-over-year growth of 35.4%, shipping 93.8 million units, up from 69.3 in the same quarter of 2011, to capture 23.5% of the mobile market. Nokia shipped 82.7 million units, down from 100.5 in the first quarter of 2011, and saw its market share fall to 20.8% from 26.8%.

“The halcyon days of rapid growth in the smartphone market have been good to Samsung,” said IDC senior research analyst Kevin Restivo. “Samsung has used its established relationships with carriers in a mix of economically diverse markets to gain share organically and at the expense of former high fliers such as Nokia.”

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While Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has been the star of the rumor show for the past few months — with BGR leading the pack — we now have a clear picture of the smartphone landscape for late summer and early fall this year. BGR has exclusively learned details about most, if not all of Verizon Wireless’s flagship smartphone launches for the remainder of 2012, and things are definitely looking good for Verizon subscribers in 2012. All the details follow after the break.

For starters, Verizon Wireless will indeed be offering the Samsung Galaxy S3 — Verizon notably passed on the Galaxy S II in favor of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus — but we don’t know when the carrier will start selling Samsung’s new flagship smartphone. While we have a clear picture of Verizon’s fall smartphone lineup, we would assume the Galaxy S III will be available over the summer.

Speaking of Android smartphones, there are “multiple” Motorola RAZR models due to hit Verizon in the coming months, one of which will most likely be the Motorola RAZR HD (or a name similar to that) with a larger and clearer display.

HTC might actually be the star of the Android show this time around though, as we have been told HTC will have a major flagship device hitting Verizon shelves in the fall. It’s said to feature a whopping 5-inch 1080p HD display (a non-PenTile screen), a new chipset that includes a quad-core Krait CPU and an Adreno 320 GPU, HTC Sense 5 and a Scribe pen. Yes, HTC is launching a Galaxy Note competitor.

Lastly, as we reported late last year, Apple’s next-generation iPhone is currently slated for a fall release.

T-Mobile’s new flagship Android phone, the HTC One S, is now available for sale online and in stores nationwide. Featuring a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 16GB of internal storage plus 25GB of free cloud-based Dropbox storage for two years, an 8-megapixel rear camera, Sense 4 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity, the HTC One S packs a tremendous amount of technology into a sleek unibody aluminum case that measures just 7.95 millimeters thick. BGR reviewed the HTC One S last week and said it is likely best smartphone ever to hit T-Mobile, and the sleek Android phone is now available for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year contract.

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Along with an iPhone nano and an iPad mini, rumors of a “Facebook phone” have repeatedly piqued interest as they come and go. The first round of reports surfaced in 2010, but was shot down when Facebook denied that it was working on its own smartphone with hardware and software partner HTC. The handsets that were thought to be Facebook phones ended up being unveiled the following month as the HTC Chacha and HTC Salsa, but consumers weren’t terribly interested in mid-range Android phones with a dedicated Facebook sharing button. Rumors resurfaced this past November before dissipating as quickly as they came, but now — whether or not consumers are actually interested in the possibility of a Facebook-branded smartphone — talk of a Facebook phone has returned once again.

Citing unnamed industry sources, DigiTimes on Wednesday reported that Facebook and HTC are jointly developing a smartphone. The device will be a “customized smartphone” presumably based on Android, and it will launch in the third quarter this year at the earliest.

The report draws a number of comparisons between the secret Facebook phone project and HTC’s previous efforts with Google on the Nexus One, suggesting that because Samsung has taken over as Google’s Nexus partner, HTC is looking elsewhere for branded Android projects. DigiTimes also claims that Samsung has likely been tasked with building the next Nexus phone, though no additional details were made available.

The Facebook phone currently under development is said to have a “platform exclusive to Facebook,” enabling deep integration of Facebook services and providing a variety of custom functionality. How the device might handle private user data is unclear.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

HTC on Tuesday forecast lower revenue for the second quarter this year, trimming its profit margin guidance at the same time. The struggling Taiwan-based vendor sees revenue falling 16% from the second quarter last year to NT$105 billion, and gross profit margin is expected to slide to 27% from 28.8% during the same period a year earlier. HTC’s anticipated second-quarter revenue represents a 55% improvement over the first quarter of 2012, which saw HTC’s net profit decline sharply to its lowest point since 2006. The vendor’s new One-series smartphones recently began rolling out internationally, and both AT&T and T-Mobile will launch new HTC handsets in the coming weeks. BGR reviewed the HTC One S last week and called it the best smartphone ever to come to T-Mobile, but HTC has its work cut out for it — Apple’s iPhone 4S remains the best-selling smartphone in the world and Samsung will unveil its next-generation flagship Galaxy phone next week, just three days after HTC’s One X goes on sale at AT&T.