MWC: Handset Roundup – HTC, Sony, Nokia, ViewSonic

Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has announced the HTC One series – which it says is premium smartphone line, offering a high-design look, and strong photography and audio features. 

The flagship device is the HTC One X, which features a unibody lightweight chassis, with a 4.7in 720p HD screen, and a an LTE-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz processor. It will be available in selected LTE-enabled markets. 

The HTC One S is a more compact smartphone, with a 4.3in screen, while the HTC One V reflects the design of the HTC Legend. The series will begin shipping in Q2 2012. 

Meanwhile Sony Mobile Communications has launched two new smartphones in its Xperia range, powered by ST-Ericssons NovaThor platform. The phones are the first to use NovaThor, which provides app processing, modem, and connectivity functions. 

The Xperia P boasts a 4in touchscreenm which is powered by Sonys Mobile BRAVIA Engine, and a 1GHz dual-core processory. It is also NFC enabled, and offers HDMI and DLNA connecetivity. 

The Xperia U is a similar device, with a smaller 3.5in screen. It boasts a 5mp camera and xLoud audio technology for better speaker performance. 

Both phones launch on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), with an upgrade to version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Q2. 

Nokia raised a few eyebrows with the launch of a smartphone equipped with a 41mp camera. The 808 PureView boasts a new PureView imaging technology, which combines high-resolution sensors and exclusive Carl Zeiss optics. The 808 PureView also revords full 1080p HD video with a 4x lossless zoom. 

Nokia has also launched another device in its Lumia range. The Lumia 610 is the most affordable yet, and the company says it aims to bring Windows Phone 7 to a younger audience, with east access to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Nokia also says it is set to make the LTE-ready Lumia 900 available around the world in a DC-HSPA variant, for high-speed data connection (42Mbits download) in countries where LTE is not available. It is expected to begin shipping in Q2. 

The Lumia range is also set to get a few new tricks on Windows Phone, including Nokia Reading, which will provide an integrated hub for news and book-reading on the devices, and Nokia Transport – a journey planning app. 

Dual-SIM fans will be keen to hear about ViewSonics new handsets – the company has launched a range of four, which it claims are the first dual-SIM devices to run Android Ice Cream Sandwich. The range covers screen sizes from 3.5in to a whopping 5in, and the models are aimed at business people who want to manage business and personal accounts on one device.