HTC Announces Windows Phone 8X Accord and 8S Rio
Awesome-looking Windows Phone 8 handsets from HTC should make this fall's smartphone showdowns interesting
With the launch of Windows Phone 8 still a couple months off, we've already seen what Nokia and Samsung are bringing to the table. Today, HTC announced its own vibrantly-colored entries - the 8X Accord and the 8S Rio.When we first heard HTC would be trying its hand Windows Phone 8 this fall, we were skeptical. Basically we expected a clone of its recent no-longer-cutting-edge Android phones, running Windows Phone 8 (basically what Samsung's doing with the Ativ S). But what HTC unveiled today looks much more like Nokia's forthcoming Lumia phones - sleek, technically impressive and obviously designed specifically for Windows Phone 8.
WP 8X Accord
The LTE-enabled 8X has a 4.3-inch 720p display under curved Gorilla Glass, housed in a unibody polycarbonate shell. It's got 16GB on-board storage, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, and an extra-wide-angle 8MP camera, plus bells and whistles like NFC and Beats Audio.
The 8X Accord is HTC's answer to the Nokia Lumia 920, and we're excited to see how the phones compare. The 920 may have a leg up with wireless charging, and we're waiting eagerly to see whether PureView camera tech is all it's cracked up to be. But the 8X is 30% lighter, has a slightly cleaner design, and could be less expensive for its missing features. Both phones come in plenty of bold colors.
WP 8S Rio
HTC isn't leaving the Lumia 820 un-answered either. The mid-range, low-cost (we're assuming) 8S Rio slims down to a still respectable 4-inch display, and makes moderate technical sacrifices to do it. It's got half as much RAM as the 8X, a processor clocked at 1GHz and a less impressive 5MP camera. It's got a microSD slot, so it actually can have a greater capacity than its big brother; but that's to compensate for a paltry 4GB of built in storage.
HTC says both phones should be available in early November. We'll have exact dates, pricing details and a full review when they're available, so keep it locked to IGN.
Has HTC's announcement drawn your gaze from the Lumia 920? Sound off in the comments.