HTC talks 1080p video recording, 5.1 audio and a tablet
At a press conference in South Africa, HTC shared a bit of what they’re planning for next year - in short, hi-fi AV, fast Internet and a tablet. Not a peep about an in-house OS though, Android was mentioned as the tablet’s OS.
HTC do not yet have a handset that can record HD video (initial rumors said that the HTC Desire would record 720p video, though that didn"t pan out), but by the second quarter of next year they plan to introduce phones capable of shooting 1080p video.
As for the “A” part of AV, HTC will be working with Yamaha to provide 5.1 channel sonic experience for their handsets - and we can expect those even sooner than the Full HD phones. As soon as the third quarter of this year, 14.4Mbps HSPA+ connectivity could be incorporated as well.
The matter with the Android tablet is a little more complicated - it isn"t even sure if it will be a tablet. Android was pegged as the OS of choice and there were hints that the maybe-tabled will have cellular connectivity too (data at least, not necessarily voice calls).
Could it be a follow-up to the HTC Advantage X7510, and get HTC back into the smartbook market? The amount of uncertainty surrounding the tablet is too big for any timeframes - but we’re okay with waiting, especially knowing there’s a Full HD recording phone on the way.
