HTC requires more than 512MB of RAM for Jelly Bean updates, One V and Desire C to stay on ICS

HTC's reassured us in a freshly updated FAQ that the One X and One S will continue seeing Jelly Bean updates as soon as carrier testing is finished, and it's also given us some insight into how it decides which smartphones will get the Android 4.1 treatment. The word is mum on exactly which other phones will be graced with the flavor of Android in question and Sense 4+, but the firm is reviewing its 2012 handsets to determine which are eligible. Two phones that didn't make the cut are the One V and Desire C, since HTC generally requires devices to pack more than 512MB of RAM in order to receive Jelly Bean. As for smartphones released in 2011, they'll also be considered once this year's hardware is evaluated. Chou and Co. also noted that they plan to post "generic development ROMs" of Jelly Bean for the One X and One S to its developer website as soon as they're fully baked. For the full lowdown, hit the source link below.

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Windows Phone 8X by HTC: 4.3-inch 720p display, LTE, dual-core S4, available this November

Consider this Microsoft's ultimate blessing, or merely a way to guarantee household name recognition. Whatever the case, the company's next-gen Apollo OS is not only powering HTC's newest mobile movement, it's also the headliner. That's right, as clunky as it may initially seem, Windows Phone 8X is the official moniker of the OEM's brightly hued flagship series, an alphabetical denomination that puts it on premium standing with the One X line. And thanks to the loosened spec restraints made possible by WP8, this modern-minded, unibodied beaut reps a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2 coating, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor buffered by 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, WiFi a/b/g/n, NFC and an integrated 1,800mAh Li-ion battery. There's also quadband radio support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSPA/WCDMA (850, 900, 1900, 2100MHz) and, of course, LTE for stateside carriers.

Though the 8X may share the same boldly colored, polycarbonate construction of its live-tiled Lumia frenemies, it also stands apart with the inclusion of two HTC-specific features: Beats Audio, replete with a built-in amplifier, and ImageChip for continuous shooting. And speaking of optics, this device's dual camera setup packs the combined punch of a 2.1-megapixel front-facer with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens and an 8-megapixel rear module with an f/2.0 lens accompanied by a single LED flash -- both capable of 1080p video capture.

While the veil of mystery surrounding this latest tech industry collaboration may have just lifted, you'll still have to wait a bit before it heads to retail. After all, Microsoft's planning its own WP8 coming out party for late October -- a reveal that should finally give us a full look at the smartphone UI formerly known as Metro. With a ship date set for sometime this November, the 8X will be available in four distinct colors - California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow -- on over 150 carriers worldwide. No word on final pricing as of yet. So, until then, sate yourself with this first taste.

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HTC announces Windows Phone 8S: a mid-range Microsoft handset for the fashion conscious

The Windows Phone 8 era is swinging into full effect. Nokia's big launch event was only a few short weeks ago, now HTC is enjoying its time in the spotlight with two handsets of its own. The Windows Phone 8S makes no mystery of its platform choice and, like the One S, indicates its midrange status with a simple alphabetic suffix. This four-inch phone will be shipping with HSPA on board. Unfortunately there's no word on an LTE edition of this rather handsome device. Spec-wise, the WVGA screen leaves us a little wanting, but we appreciate the combination of Super LCD and Gorilla Glass, which should make for a contrasty and scratch resistant panel. Under the hood is a dual-core S4 clocked at 1GHz, which is hardly a speed demon by todays standards, but should be enough to keep Microsoft's streamlined OS humming along nicely. The CPU is augmented by 512MB of RAM, which isn't any beefier than most Mango phones prepping for retirement.

A paltry 4GB of storage is baked in, but thankfully HTC saw fit to include a microSD slot for expansion. Those rather modest internals should help the handset make the most of the 1,700 mAh battery at least. Sadly, the Taiwanese manufacturer decided to skip a front-facing cam on its entry level device and the sensor around back is only 5MP and limited to 720p video capture. At 10.28mm thick the 8S isn't the sleekest handset, but the tapered edges make look quite a bit thinner than that measurement would indicate. There's no denying the appeal of the two-tone polycarbonate bodies, regardless of comparative girth, which feature soft touch finishes in veritable rainbow of options. Pricing has yet to be announced, but you can expect the 8S to hit shelves in early November on a number of carriers.

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Behind the Design: Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC

It’s a design that Wired calls “the Windows Phone to beat;” in fact, it’s like holding a live tile in right in your hand.  Over the past year, HTC and Microsoft engineers and designers have worked closely together to deliver a phone that looks and feels like no other – creating a new ‘signature line’ of Windows 8 phones made only by HTC.  Let’s look more closely at how the Windows Phone 8X and 8Swere born:

Of course, inside this design both the 8X and 8S deliver an incredible camera with HTC ImageSense and Beats Audio.

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