The HTC Sensation – or Pyramid as it’s been known in the various leaks we’ve been treated to over the past few months – is official at last. It’s the dual core beast of an Android smartphone that we expected, but that’s not what’s got us so excited. It’s the content on the device, and it looks set at long last to put Google’s OS on level footing with the iPhone and its iTunes media service. Read on to find out just how.
All the tipsters and leakers were spot on about the HTC Sensation: it’s a beast. Its aluminium chassis – which isn’t unibody, by the by – packs a huge 16:9 ratio, 4.3-inch with an upped resolution of 960×540, and it’s powered by a dual core 1.2GHz Qualcomm chip and a hearty 768MB of RAM. There’s a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera, and an 8MP sensor on the back that’s also capable of recording 1080p full HD video – which you can then playback on any HD TV via an MHL connection.
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On the software side of things, HTC’s Sense overlay on top Android 2.3 has been tweaked as well. The homescreens now have slick 3D transitions, and the lock screen has been put to good use with intelligent shortcuts: you can place any application shortcuts and several HTC widgets on it, which can then be dragged to the bottom to automatically unlock the phone and open said app. There’s also a handy video editing app, which though not exactly feature packed does let you chop and trim your videos, which is a first on an Android phone.
But you know what? None of this is why this phone matters.
The HTC Sensation matters because it’s the first Android phone to really start offering media on demand in the same way as Apple does on the iPhone via iTunes. The service in question is HTC Watch, which will allow you to buy or rent movies on your phone. We’re told around 600 will be available at launch, with more added over time, and though HTC hasn’t nailed down partners, we were shown a PowerPoint presentation slide with logos suggesting Fox, Sony, Disney, Warner Bros, MGM, NBC and MTV will all be in on the act.
Payment should be a cinch too, since HTC is negotiating to allow for carrier billing – you just tap to buy and the cost is simply added to your monthly bill, which is even more convenient than having to enter your credit card details.
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And this is just the beginning. What’s missing is a complementary music service – HTC’s director of commercialisation product management, Graham Wheeler, declined to comment when we asked whether HTC has one planned – but there’s always Spotifty, Amazon and 7digital to get your fill, and Google clearly has big plans for its own Music Android app.
We’re told the HTC Sensation will go on sale in the “May timeframe”, with Vodafone grabbing an unspecified window of exclusivity. We’re live at the company’s launch event right now so stay tuned for a preview.
Out May | £TBC | HTC
