HTC's Edge may be the world's first ever quad-core smartphone, setting a new standard in the smartphone market.
The Taiwanese phone maker's rumored device will reportedly feature a 1.5-gigahertz NVIDIA quad core processor, a 4.7-inch 720p HD S-LCD 2 display with optical lamination, and an 8-megapixel camera capable of 1080p video capture.
The Edge is also expected to come with a 720p front-facing camera, Beats Audio, 32-gigabytes of built-in storage and NFC technology.
HTC has not confirmed reports about the Edge, and no information on price, release date or potential carriers has been announced.
No one knows what other quad-core devices manufacturers have in the works or what their planned release dates are, but reports about the Edge have been the first to surface regarding potential next-generation smartphones.
In addition to the quad-core processor, the optical lamination technology in the device's display would likely give the nearly five-inch screen the same clarity as the one in the iPhone 4S.
HTC has been surging of late, passing Apple on the list of world's largest smartphone makers and posting impressive sales figures. Being the first manufacturer to offer a quad-core device would likely help the company further its status as a major player in the smartphone market, and possibly even give it a shot at becoming the number-one seller of Android-based handsets.
A quad-core device would make a big splash for HTC, but despite leaked spec lists, there is little reason to believe the release of the device is imminent. Dual-core processors are only now beginning to become more prevalent, featured in devices like the Samsung Galaxy S2 and iPhone 4S, both enjoying strong success with consumers.
More powerful devices would lead to faster speeds and more powerful mobile apps, but the Edge likely won't launch to the public until mid-to-late 2012. Still, reports about HTC's device show the future of smartphones is a lot closer than many may think.
This post originally appeared at Mobiledia.
