HTC has a high-end Android handset on the way codenamed Runnymede; we first heard of this device a few weeks ago when it showed up in some EXIF data on a photo sharing site. Now we've received the full rundown on the features and specifications of Runnymede, which will be among the first phones to emerge from the collaboration between HTC and Beats Audio:
- Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread
- 4.7-inch, 480x800 display
- 1.5GHz single-core MSM8255 (same CPU as Flyer)
- 768MB of RAM / 16GB of storage
- Eight-megapixel / 720p rear-camera with dual flashes & 1.3-megapixel front-facing webcam
- under 10 millimeters thick
- Sense 3.5
- DLNA
- Bundled Beats headphones (not earphones)
While on the surface the specs here aren't cutting edge -- screen resolution, processor speed, RAM, and video capture are all bested by other handsets on the market -- it's the details that make Runnymede sound like a winner. The camera, for instance, is said to feature a backlit sensor plus 28mm wide-angle lens and focal ratio of f/2.2 (compared to the iPhone 4's smaller f/2.8); in video mode, it can supposedly capture footage at 60 frames-per-second, more than twice that of the average handset. Obviously sound quality will also play a big role here, with Runnymede featuring SRS Surround, dual microphones, and even recognizing when it's plugged into the Beats headphones.
Apparently Runnymede will ship in time for the holidays, although carrier adoption is still a mystery. Assuming Eternity launches in the same timeframe, both Android and Windows Phone fans will have a 4.7-inch HTC handset to choose from before the end of the year.
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