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5.5-inch HTC Desire 8 leaks on eve of Mobile World Congress

New details suggest HTC could debut a new member of the Desire family at the annual mobile conference or shortly thereafter.

Scott Webster
Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.
Scott Webster
The so-called Desire 8 could soon join HTC's Android portfolio. Engadget

HTC may soon introduce a new member of the Desire family, perhaps as soon as Mobile World Congress. A leaked image and basic hardware specifications have surfaced online, indicating that HTC is readying another sizable smartphone.

According to a "reliable" Engadget source, the Desire 8 is a midrange experience with a large, 5.5-inch display. Presumably powered by Android 4.4, the details could include a 13-megapixel rear camera, front-facing 5-megapixel shooter, dual speakers, and dual-SIM support. So far, that sounds fairly high end to us. The rumor also suggests a plastic body in multiple color options (like red, orange, yellow, and cyan blue), and on-screen navigation buttons.

If you look closely at the screenshot, you'll see a March 18 date and Beijing location, a hint that HTC could hold a press event on that Tuesday rather than use Mobile World Congress for its debut. The latter is a much larger world stage and takes place in late February, though HTC may decide to aim its product at Asia first with a more localized reveal. Either way, CNET will be in Barcelona come February 23 and will have first-hand coverage of the goings-on.