14 DAY TRIAL // Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard a lot of rumors regarding the possible release of a Windows Phone 8.1 flavor of the HTC One M8 smartphone, and the device can now be admired in a leaked press render.
The mobile phone has been rumored to arrive on shelves at Verizon Wireless before the end of this month, and the aforementioned image has been spotted on the carrier’s website (it is no longer available there).
This confirms not only the fact that this device, supposedly called HTC One W8, will be released on the operator’s network, but also the fact that this might happen soon.
For those out of the loop, we should note that the mobile phone is expected to be officially announced in the United States on August 19, while set to become available for purchase at Verizon as soon as August 21.
For the time being, little is known on the hardware specifications of the Windows Phone 8.1-based HTC One M8, though chances are that the device will land on shelves with the same capabilities as its Android counterpart.
In fact, the leaked press photo confirms that HTC will pack it with the same outer design as the One M8, which includes BoomSound speakers on the front (although the power button cannot be seen in its usual position at the top).
Moreover, as WPCentral notes, the mobile phone appears to include an IR blaster, which will allow users to control their TV and home entertainment systems, as well as support for Verizon’s 4G LTE network.
A TV Live Tile on the phone’s screen indicates that, though no official confirmation on the matter has been provided. The press photo also shows a BlinkFeed tile, which suggests that HTC might bring its custom Android home screen experience to Windows Phone.
Most probably, the Windows Phone 8.1 variant of HTC One M8 will also include a 5-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a full HD resolution, as well as a metallic body, similar to the one present on its Android sibling.
It might also arrive on shelves with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory. The handset should also include a microSD memory card slot for storage expansion.
The duo-camera setup present on the Android flagship smartphone might be included on the Windows Phone device as well, along with a 5MP front camera for making video calls while on the go.
As mentioned above, no official confirmation on the handset and on its hardware capabilities has been provided as of now, but all might be fully revealed in roughly two weeks. Keep an eye on this space for updates.