HTC Ville C leaked as cheaper One S clone
Has HTC gone off its rocker?
HTC said it was going to cut down the number of handsets it produced in 2012 as it looked to save money, but after a recent 'leak', we're not so sure.
The HTC Ville C is the latest phone rumoured to be appearing from the maker of the One range of handsets, and this is after we saw the Desire C officially break cover earlier this week.
The details of the handset were uncovered by a Brief Mobile source, who claimed that the Ville C will be a cheaper version of the HTC One S.
Why bother?
However a brief look through the reported specs and we're struggling to see why HTC would even bother with the Ville C.
It's set to pack a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal memory, Android Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.5, 8MP camera with LED flash and 1080p video recording and a 1650mAh battery.
All sounding awfully familiar? Well it should, as the only spec which differs from the One S is the processor, which has been downgraded from the 1.5GHz dual-core chip. Oh, and we guess the name counts as a change too.
To be fair there's no mention of Beats Audio technology, but seeing as this is including in the lower-end One V and Desire C, we can only assume it will make its way on the Ville C as well.
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In short, we really hope this leak fails to follow through to an actual product, otherwise HTC has just filled a hole between the One V and One S which wasn't even there. Our HTC One S review found it to be a perfectly credible phone - so why mess with it?
From Brief Mobile via TalkAndroid
John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.