Earlier last month, we
reported that talks surrounding the much rumoured Facebook phone had resurfaced once again in the form of the HTC Myst.
Unwired View now reports that the device is indeed real under the name HTC Myst #UL, that was once upon a time spotted as the HTC Opera.
Citing a "previously reliable source", the blog further claims to have confirmed specs, which aren't that different from what we've already seen. The main difference lies in the processor. which now is a 1.5-GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 processor as opposed to a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8930 S4 Plus dual-core processor.
Other 'confirmed' specs include 1GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage (no microSD expansion), a 4.3-inch 720p display with 320ppi pixel density and 5-megapixel rear, 1.6-megapixel front camera, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, LTE, and category 14 HSDPA.
Being a Facebook-focused device, the Android Jelly Bean powered smartphone will likely come pre-installed with Facebook-related software such as Facebook app, Facebook Messenger and Instagram. The report suggests that the device is expected to be available this spring in the US.
In the summer of 2011, HTC had launched two Facebook smartphones in the country namely the
HTC ChaCha and
HTC Salsa.
HTC ChaCha was launched in partnership with TATA DoCoMo in July for Rs. 15,990. It was an Android 2.3 smartphone skinned with HTC Sense featuring a 2.6-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 320x480 pixels along with a QWERTY keyboard. Apart from a dedicated Facebook button, other features included an 800 MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 512MB of internal storage expandable upto 32GB via microSD card, a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash, a VGA front camera and a 1,250 mAh battery.
The HTC Salsa was a full-touch Facebook phone priced at Rs. 22,000. The HTC Salsa came with a bigger 3.4-inch display and 1,520mAh battery with all other specifications identical to its younger sibling.
Both these devices didn't offer anything new except for a dedicated Facebook button laying emphasis on easy social connectivity. So we really wonder what HTC and Facebook could offer with the HTC Myst that we haven't seen before.
Image Courtesy: Unwired View