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.

Samsung and AT&T on Monday announced the Samsung Focus 2, a budget-friendly Windows Phone launching on May 20th for just $49.99 on contract. The handset features a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera, Windows Phone 7.5 and 4G LTE connectivity. “AT&T offers our customers the broadest Windows Phone portfolio of any carrier, with three 4G LTE Windows Phones – the only 4G LTE Windows Phones in the U.S. – now at a variety of price points and form factors,” AT&T SVP of devices Jeff Bradley said.  “The Samsung Focus 2 brings the people-first Windows Phone interface together with AT&T’s fast 4G LTE network for an unbeatable experience.” Samsung’s full press release follows below.

AT&T TO LAUNCH SAMSUNG FOCUS 2; OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE CAPABILITIES AT AN ATTRACTIVE PRICE

Samsung’s First 4G LTE Windows Phone Offers AT&T Customers User-Friendly,

Affordable Windows Phone in a Slim, Stylish Design

DALLAS, May 7, 2012 –

Key Facts

·         The Samsung Focus® 2, an affordable Windows® Phone on AT&T’s 4G LTE network, will be available from AT&T beginning May 20 in pure white for $49.99 with a two-year service agreement.

·         With the launch of the third Windows Phone smartphone on its 4G LTE network, AT&T continues to offer customers the most robust Windows Phone portfolio of any carrier.

·         As Samsung’s first 4G LTE Windows Phone, the Focus 2 is sleek and stylish.  Measuring 10.98mm thin and weighing only 4.3 ounces, it fits perfectly in your hand, purse or pocket.

In April, AT&T launched the first 4G LTE Windows Phones in the world with the Focus 2 marking the carrier’s third 4G LTE offering on this operating system.  AT&T customers have access to the nation’s largest 4G network, covering over 260 million people. As 4G LTE expands, AT&T customers are able to enjoy a widespread, ultra-fast and consistent 4G experience on their compatible device as they move in and out of LTE areas. AT&T has two 4G networks that work together for customers, LTE and HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. With other carriers, when you travel outside of their LTE coverage area, you’re on a much slower 3G network.

Beginning May 20, customers can purchase the Focus 2, available in a glossy pure white, from AT&T for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

Like AT&T’s other new 4G LTE Windows Phones, the Samsung Focus 2 features the Windows Phone 7.5 operating system which makes it easier to do everyday tasks faster.   Only Windows Phone has Live Tiles, providing real time updates on your Start Screen including calendar appointments, emails or social media feeds. With Bing Search built-in, you’ll never be lost, as finding directions or a highly rated restaurant nearby is quick and easy. Microsoft® Office Mobile and SkyDrive® also allow you to create, save and access documents anywhere from the cloud to help maintain productivity while on-the-go.

The Samsung Focus 2, the latest addition to the Focus family (following the Focus, Focus Flash and Focus S), comes with a 4-inch Super AMOLED™ screen and 5-megapixel camera that makes taking pictures or shooting video in HD 720p a breeze.  The front-facing VGA camera provides the ability for video chat.  Hands-free messaging is available through speech-to-text and text-to-speech features that make it easier to stay in touch safely while out and about.

“AT&T offers our customers the broadest Windows Phone portfolio of any carrier, with three 4G LTE Windows Phones – the only 4G LTE Windows Phones in the U.S. – now at a variety of price points and form factors,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility.  “The Samsung Focus 2 brings the people-first Windows Phone interface together with AT&T’s fast 4G LTE network for an unbeatable experience.”

“Samsung is the unmatched leader in offering smartphones across a variety of platforms and the Focus 2 is a powerful example of our continued commitment to Windows Phone,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “As our first 4G LTE Windows Phone, the Focus 2 is a fast and versatile device for productivity, entertainment and social networking.”

For more information, customers can visit http://www.att.com/samsungfocus2  or http://www.samsung.com/us/focus2.

While Windows-powered “ultrabooks” have yet to really make a splash in the market, Apple is reportedly considering a move that could further limit their appeal as vendors prepare a second wave of less expensive ultrabook models. Citing unnamed sources within Apple’s supply chain, Digitimes on Monday reported that Apple is readying a new entry-level MacBook Air model that could launch in the third quarter this year. Details are extremely limited, though it is presumed that the notebook will be an updated 11-inch model that could launch around the same time as Apple’s new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, which are expected to become available some time this summer. Apple may reveal the new model during its annual Worldwide Developer Conference, which begins on June 11th.

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Samsung unveiled its flagship smartphone for 2012 during an action-packed, occasionally bizarre press conference held in London on Thursday. The device has some big shoes to fill considering the success of the Galaxy S II and all its variants, so a spectacular Unpacked event was in order. The South Korea-based vendor tried to stream the event live on its Facebook page, but many eager onlookers reported difficulties when they tried to load Samsung’s video player. For those who were unable to watch the event live, or for those who just want to relive the magic, a re-broadcast of Samsung’s Unpacked 2012 event is now available, and it can be watched below in its entirety.

The Samsung Galaxy S III is finally real, and it’s just about everything we have reported it would be, though the specs have been dialed back a bit in some areas. The super-smartphone features an insanely fast 1.4GHz quad-core processor, a 4.7-inch HD display, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 1GB of RAM and of course, 4G LTE. It’s all tightly packed into a slim case that is just 8.6 millimeters thick. Samsung is launching the Galaxy S III on May 29th in Europe and in the coming months, nearly 300 carrier partners will offer the phone. It will start to appear on local carriers in the United States some time this summer, and it will be the official phone of the Olympic Games in London this summer. Samsung’s full press release follows below along with a video.

Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S III, the Smartphone Designed for Humans and Inspired by Nature Effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, Samsung GALAXY S III reveals a new concept of smartphone 

London, UK—May 3, 2012—Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the third generation GALAXY S, the GALAXY S III. Designed for humans and inspired by nature, the GALAXY S III is a smartphone that recognizes your voice, understands your intention, and lets you share a moment instantly and easily.

This sleek and innovative smartphone has the enhanced intelligence to make everyday life easier. With Samsung GALAXY S III, you can view the content like never before on the device’s 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display. An 8MP camera and a 1.9MP front camera offer users a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly. Samsung GALAXY S III is powered by Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, with greatly enhanced usability and practicality to make life easier. Packed with intuitive technology, the GALAXY S III delivers a uniquely personalized mobile experience that refuses to be compromised.

“With the GALAXY S III, Samsung has maximized the consumer benefits by integrating superior hardware with enhanced smartphone usability,” said JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung. “Designed to be both effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, the GALAXY S III has been created with our human needs and capabilities in mind. What makes me most proud is that it enables one of the most seamless, natural and human-centric mobile experiences, opening up a new horizon that allows you to live a life extraordinary.”

Introducing Natural Interaction

The GALAXY S III enhances the interaction experience between the device and user. Smart enough to detect your face, voice and motions, the GALAXY S III adapts to the individual user to provide a more convenient and natural experience. With the innovative ‘Smart stay’ feature, the GALAXY S III recognizes how you are using your phone – reading an e-book or browsing the web for instance – by having the front camera identify your eyes; the phone maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure.

The GALAXY S III features ‘S Voice,’ the advanced natural language user interface, to listen and respond to your words. In addition to allowing information search and basic device-user communication, S Voice presents powerful functions in regards to device control and commands. When your phone alarm goes off but you need a little extra rest, just tell the GALAXY S III “snooze.” You can also use S Voice to play your favorite songs, turn the volume up or down, send text messages and emails, organize your schedules, or automatically launch the camera and capture a photo.

In addition to recognizing your face and voice, the GALAXY S III understands your motions to offer maximized usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and ‘Direct call’ will dial their number. With ‘Smart alert,’ the GALAXY S III will also save you from trouble by catching any missed messages or calls; your phone will vibrate to notify missed statuses when picked up after being idle. 

Easy and Instant Sharing 

The Samsung GALAXY S III is more than a personal device that can be enjoyed by one user – it wants you to share and experience smartphone benefits with family and friends, regardless of where you are. With the new ‘S Beam,’ the GALAXY S III expands upon Android™ Beam™, allowing a 1GB movie file to be shared within three minutes and a 10MB music file within two seconds by simply touching another GALAXY S III phone, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. The ‘Buddy photo share’ function also allows photos to be easily and simultaneously shared with all your friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery.

With ‘AllShare Cast’, users can wirelessly connect their GALAXY S III to their television to immediately transfer smartphone content onto a larger display. ‘AllShare Play’ can be also used to instantly share any forms of files between GALAXY S III and your tablet, PC, and televisions regardless of the distance between the devices. Under AllShare Play is also the ‘Group Cast’ feature that allows you to share your screen among multiple friends on the same Wi-Fi network; you can make comments and draw changes at the same time with your co-workers, witnessing real-time sharing on your individual device. 

Human-centric Design with Uncompromised Performance

The GALAXY S III not only presents features with enhanced usability, but also provides an ergonomic and comfortable experience through its human-centric design. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves, and organic form deliver a rich human-centric feel and design. Inspired by nature, its design concept is the flow and movement of nature. The elements of wind, water and light are all evoked in the physical construct of the GALAXY S III. In its essence, the minimal organic design identity is reflected in the smooth and non-linear lines of the device. Available in Pebble Blue and Marble White at launch, Samsung will introduce a variety of additional color options.

With a 4.8” HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile’s heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles. To ensure faster content sharing and connectivity, the GALAXY S III offers Wi-Fi Channel Bonding which doubles the Wi-Fi bandwidth.

The GALAXY S III also sports a range of additional features that boost performance and the overall user experience in entirely new ways. It introduces ‘Pop up play,’ a feature that allows you to play a video anywhere on your screen while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web. Its 8MP camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that lets you capture moving objects easily without delay – the image you see is the picture you take. With the ‘Burst shot’ function that instantly captures twenty continuous shots, and the ‘Best photo’ feature that selects the best of eight photographs for you, the GALAXY S III ensures users a more enhanced and memorable camera experience. HD video can be recorded even with the 1.9MP front-facing camera, which you can use to capture a video of yourself. Improved backside illumination further helps to eliminate blur in photos that result from shaking, even under low lights.

Mobile payment is also accessible with the device through advanced Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The gaming experience is enhanced through ‘Game Hub,’ providing access to numerous social games, while Video Hub brings users high quality TV and movies. Furthermore, Samsung Music Hub will offer a personal music streaming service. Game Hub, Video Hub and Music Hub will be introduced in select countries initially and soon rolled out to global markets.

The Samsung GALAXY S III will be available from the end of May in Europe before rolling out to other markets globally.

Rumors surrounding the imminent launch of an Apple-branded HDTV have been swirling for the better part of a year, and while some industry watchers expect the “iTV” to launch as early as this summer, one analyst suggests that we’re still more than a year away from seeing Apple launch an iOS-powered television. JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz said on Thursday that his firm does not believe Apple will release an HDTV in the near future.

“We are not sure that the Apple premium could prevail in the TV market, unless there is a radical change of the user interface, integration of the TV programming and data content, and use of gesture or voice control,” the analyst wrote in a note to investors.

Instead, Apple is likely to introduce a more feature-rich version of the Apple TV, the company’s set top box that streams iTunes content and partner content to connected televisions. ”We believe Apple can design a smarter set top box to manage all components behind the end user’s TV experience, as well as eliminate the oft-cumbersome user interface provided by the cable and satellite operators,” Moskowitz wrote.

The analyst then sees a possible HDTV launch some time in 2014, though he notes that Apple’s desire to maintain high margins on its products could potentially pose a barrier.

Earlier reports suggested that Apple’s Siri-enabled television is already being tested by partners ahead of a fourth-quarter launch this year. The company’s competition is said to be in “crisis mode” as Apple prepares to dominate the high end of the TV market with a product that features voice and gesture controls along with a unique content model that offers channels in a format similar to apps.

Nokia on Wednesday announced that its 41-megapixel camera-equipped 808 PureView smartphone will begin rolling out later this month in Russia, India and additional unnamed markets. Nokia unveiled the impressive camera phone in February during the annual Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, and BGR took a hands-on look at the device during the show. While a 41-megapixel sensor coupled with Carl Zeiss optics place the handset in a league of its own, the 808 PureView is powered by the Symbian operating system, which Nokia is currently in the process of dumping in favor of Microsoft’s Windows Phone. ”PureView has completely raised the bar on imaging performance for the whole smartphone industry – and Nokia is not stopping here,” Nokia smartphone boss Jo Harlow said. “We’re going to carry on developing PureView for our future smartphones in ways that will again revolutionize the imaging experience.” Nokia’s full press release follows below.

Nokia to begin rolling out award-winning Nokia 808 PureView in May

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today confirmed that the Nokia 808 PureView will start rolling out in select markets in May. The Nokia 808 PureView is the first smartphone to feature Nokia’s award-winning PureView technology. PureView represents Nokia’s highest level smartphone imaging experiences, bringing together high-performance sensors, exclusive Carl Zeiss optics, and Nokia developed imaging algorithms. The first markets to begin selling the Nokia 808 PureView include Russia and India.

Since its launch in February, the Nokia 808 PureView has receivedmultiple awards, including Best Mobile Device at Mobile World Congress 2012, as well as an award for Best Imaging Innovation for 2012 from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA).

“PureView has completely raised the bar on imaging performance for the whole smartphone industry – and Nokia is not stopping here,” said Jo Harlow, Head of Smart Devices at Nokia. “We’re going to carry on developing PureView for our future smartphones in ways that will again revolutionize the imaging experience.”

The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. At high-resolution (38 megapixels maximum) it means the ability to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards to expose previously unseen levels of details. With superior low-light performance and the ability to save in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS, and on social networks, the Nokia 808 PureView makes it possible for anyone to capture professional looking images in any conditions.

In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording.  Rich Recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones. The Nokia 808 PureView also features exclusive Dolby Headphone technology, transforming stereo content into a personal surround sound experience over any headphones and Dolby Digital Plus for 5.1 channel surround sound playback.

Check out our Nokia 808 PureView photo gallery.

Apple’s third-generation iPad launched in nine additional countries on Friday, stretching the number of total markets in which the iPad is now available for purchase to 57. Apple released its wildly popular iPad tablet in 21 additional countries this month. The Cupertino, California-based company reported earlier this week that it sold 11.8 million iPads during the second fiscal quarter, narrowly missing analysts’ expectations but growing two-and-a-half times over the same quarter in 2011. BGR reviewed the new iPad in March and said its only competition is the iPad 2, and we revisited the tablet a month later when the iPad completely changed our perspective on tablets.

Research In Motion may be planning to unveil its debut next-generation smartphone this summer, with a launch to follow in in the fall. N4BB on Wednesday reported that RIM currently intends to take the wraps off its first BlackBerry 10-powered smartphone by mid-August, and it plans to launch the handset in early or mid-October. BGR exclusively published RIM’s 2012 product roadmap this past January, and at that time we said the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone, code-named “BlackBerry London,” was scheduled to launch in late September or early October. N4BB also claims a QWERTY-equipped BlackBerry 10 device is expected to launch in the first quarter next year, again in line with a report from this past January, though the site claims the device might not feature a slider form factor. RIM is not likely to discuss specifics with regards to BlackBerry 10 devices or launch timing during the BlackBerry World conference next week, but the smartphone maker may share new details surrounding its platform and BGR will be on hand to report all the news as it breaks.

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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’s flagship One X smartphone is now available for pre-order from AT&T for $199.99 on contract. The handset finds itself at the top of HTC’s new lineup of One-series smartphones, which the Taiwan-based vendor hopes will help it turn its sliding smartphone business around. The flagship smartphone features a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 4.6-inch 720p HD display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM and Sense 4 on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The HTC One X is available from AT&T in either gray or white, and it will launch on May 6th, three days after Samsung unveils its next-generation Galaxy S III smartphone.

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New images and video of the unannounced next-generation Galaxy S smartphone were published on Friday morning. The source, Vietnamese blog Tinhte, has a solid track record of publishing images, videos and other details surrounding unreleased devices, and the smartphone shown off by the blog is believed to be authentic. In an interesting twist, however, this may not be the Galaxy S III we see announced on May 3rd during Samsung’s “Unpacked” event in London. Read on for more.

The smartphone pictured carries the model number i9300, which a trusted BGR source has confirmed belongs to the next-generation Galaxy S smartphone. According to Tinhte, the phone features a quad-core 1.4GHz processor, a 4.6-inch 720p HD display, Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera, NFC and a 2,050 mAh battery. These specs vary in several instances with the numerous details reported earlier by BGR, and Tinhte may have the explanation why.

According to the blog, this device is likely close to the final version of the phone, however Samsung has taken measures to prevent the finished design from leaking ahead of the vendor’s upcoming announcement. Loosely translated from Tinhte’s post, which has since been removed, ”Samsung has used a fake outer shell designed to ensure the machine is not exposed until it is unveiled.” The blog’s video has vanished along with its original post, however Engadget managed to download a copy that is still available on its site.

The launch version is expected to appear in a ceramic and metal or metal-look case, and two color options will be blue and white. BGR has also been told that there will be 16GB and 32GB models available at launch, and Samsung is planning a massive marketing blitz that will see the Galaxy S III become the official handset of the 2012 Olympic Summer Games.

Several additional images of the incognito Galaxy S III can be viewed below.

[Via Gizmodo]

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Sales of Apple’s popular iPhone line of smartphones will continue to decline until the next-generation model launches later this year according to one analyst. Mike Walkley of Canaccord Genuity on Thursday raised his price target on shares of Apple stock to $740, reiterating a Buy rating. Walkley believes that Apple will post strong results for the second fiscal quarter ended in March, however he lowered his EPS estimates for fiscal 2012 to $43.13 from $44.58. Read on for more.

“Our recent channel checks indicate modestly slowing iPhone 4S sell-through trends in developed markets,” Walkley wrote. “We have lowered near-term iPhone unit estimates, but we have increased our F2013 iPhone estimates as we anticipate very strong demand for an LTE iPhone 5 ramping during the December quarter. We maintain our belief Apple is well positioned for strong sales and earnings growth driven by new product introductions across its portfolio.”

Brian White of Topeka Capital Market believes Apple’s next-generation iPhone, which he and Walkley both refer to as the “iPhone 5,” will launch some time in the third calendar quarter, but Walkley’s note indicates a fourth-quarter launch and he sees iPhone demand ramping up at that time. BGR reported late last year that Apple plans to launch a completely redesigned iPhone some time this fall.

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced availability details for the HTC One S smartphone. The handset will be the carrier’s first device powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the first to run Sense 4 as well. HTC unveiled the One S a few months back at the annual Mobile World Congress trade show. The sleek device features a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of internal storage plus 25GB of free cloud-based Dropbox storage for two years, an 8-megapixel rear camera and HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity. It’s all packed within a unibody aluminum case that measures only 7.95 millimeters thick, making it T-Mobile’s slimmest smartphone to date. The HTC One S will be available on April 25th for $199.99 with a new two-year agreement. Read on for T-Mobile’s press release, and be sure to check out our full review of T-Mobile’s HTC One S.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — April 18, 2012 — Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and HTC Corp. announced the highly anticipated HTC One™ S will be available at T-Mobile® stores nationwide on April 25. As HTC’s premier launch partner in the U.S., T-Mobile will be the first to offer the ultra-sleek HTC One S, which is the company’s first device to ship with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and HTC Sense™ 4.

The latest smartphone from T-Mobile to take advantage of 4G (HSPA+ 42) technology on America’s Largest 4G Network,™ the HTC One S provides T-Mobile customers with an amazing camera and authentic sound technology, plus a diverse selection of apps and services that give customers amazing 4G experiences.

With the HTC One S, customers will find a fantastic music experience that works seamlessly on T-Mobile’s 4G network. Customers can listen to their music libraries — up to 20,000 songs — straight from the cloud and purchase new music on the go with Google Play. Virtually all audio experiences sound better on the HTC One S thanks to its built-in Beats Audio™ technology, which provides a richer and more authentic sound experience whether consumers are watching movies, listening to music or playing games.

Featuring an 8-megapixel back-side illuminated camera and HTC ImageSense,™ which provides a variety of enhancements to the camera’s lens, sensor and software, the HTC One S is always ready to capture pictures in the blink of an eye. Consumers have immediate access to their cameras from their home screens and a super-fast auto focus with continuous shooting to take continuous photos at 4 frames per second simply by holding the shutter button. In addition, the smartphone enables high-quality video recording with a full high-definition (HD) 1080p camcorder and the ability to concurrently capture HD video and still images at the same time. With access to 25 GB of free cloud storage from DropBox, HTC One S customers also can bring their photos, documents and videos virtually anywhere they go and upload new content to the cloud via T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi. HTC One S also gives customers a new way to share their content through use of HTC’s wireless Media Link HD accessory.* The small accessory allows easy sharing of any content on the phone with any TV that supports HDMI.

Also included with the HTC One S are applications that deliver added value, utility and fun.
T-Mobile TV makes it possible to enjoy free or premium live and on-demand programs, from the hottest TV shows to kids’ programs. With the Amazon Mobile application, T-Mobile customers can search and buy millions of products directly from their device and receive special offers on select merchandise. Also highlighted is a T-Mobile-exclusive version of the popular “Where’s My Water?” game from Disney Mobile, with ten levels that can’t be played anywhere else.

The ultra-sleek and modern HTC One S will be available in gradient blue and is T-Mobile’s thinnest smartphone (7.95mm). In addition to featuring a beautiful 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED screen, the HTC One S is equipped with a 1.5GHz, dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor by Qualcomm® and access to T-Mobile’s fastest 4G (HSPA+ 42) speeds, making the HTC One S a powerful device ideal for customers seeking a fantastic mobile experience.

Availability
The HTC One S will be available on April 25 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with qualifying two-year agreement. For more information, visit http://www.t-mobile.com/one or http://www.htc.com/us/products/htcones-tmobile.