Could HTC find Facebook phone success with leaked Myst?

HTC Facebook button
How that button beckons

Although HTC's first attempt at a smartphone with dedicated Facebook button didn't take the world by storm, the Taiwanese manufacturer and its partners look ready to make a comeback with the more capable HTC Myst #UL.

After releasing the ChaCha (Status in the U.S.) and Salsa in 2011, UnwiredView reported Friday that HTC is preparing to take another stab at an Android smartphone centered around Facebook with a device known as the HTC Myst #UL - Myst for short.

According to @evleaks, a serially reliable source for the site, specs for the handset formerly known as the HTC Opera closely resemble those leaked in February, which revealed a 4.3-inch, 720p display with 320ppi pixel density.

One big improvement appears to be a step up to a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960 processor, along with 1GB RAM and 16GB internal storage - although in this case, it won't be expandable via microSD.

Built-in Facebook

With a release anticipated for the spring, the HTC Myst reportedly will arrive powered by Android 4.1.2: Jelly Bean and a full slate of baked in Facebook software.

That lineup is said to include a new version of the official Facebook app, Facebook Messenger and the company's Instagram for social photo sharing.

To help Facebook users share their lives with others, the HTC Myst #UL includes both 5MP rear-facing and 1.6MP front-facing cameras, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and will come ready for LTE and HSPA networks.

The phone is seemingly set to arrive at AT&T in the States come spring, but we'll also keep our ears open for whether we can expect an international incarnation of the second-gen social phone to arrive.