HTC Obsession: 512 MB RAM, 720p video recording, Windows Mobile 7

January 18, 2010 | By Surur

A bit closer to believable is the HTC Obsession. The smartphone appears to be an upgraded HTC HD2, with 4GB internal storage, 3.7 inch capacitive AMOLED screen 5 megapixel camera and 720p video recording.

The full specs are below.

Launching: October 2010
CPU: Qualcomm QSD8250; 1GHz
GSM HSDPA
Device Size: 112 x 56 x 11.7 mm
Memory (RAM/ROM): 512MB/512MB
Internal Storage: 4GB
External Storage: MicroSD (up to 32GB)
Screen Size/Type: 3.7-inch capacitive AMOLED “Multitouch Supported”
Camera: 5.0 Megapixel AF with flash; HD 720p video@ 25fps
Video Support: Windows Media Video (WMV), MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) H.264, DVR-MS4
Audio Support: Windows Media Audio (WMA), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC-LC), FairPlay DRM, MP3 (.mp3)
Battery: Removable 1230 mAh
Talk Time: Up to 10 hours
Standby Time: 240 hours
Internet Use: 6 hours (3G), 7.5 hours (WiFi)
Video Playback: 7 hours
Audio Playback: 24 hours

The handset is meant to look like the HTC Imagio and may be shown off at Mobile World Congress demoing WM7. It is set to be released in October, almost exactly a year after the HTC HD2 was first released.

Will this handset make any-one hold off buying a HTC HD2 now? Let us know below.

Via WMExperts.com

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged htc obsession, rumour, windows mobile 7

http://www.facebook.com/florian.zeindl Florian Zeindl

It's not that much of an upgrade. Personally, i don't care much about camera/video recording functions. HTC has never been good at that, anyways. The screen is a mixed bag. I like the huge screen on my HD2 and to me a smaller screen is, in a way, a downgrade. Snapdragon CPU is the same, ram is slightly larger, battery same size. Internal storage does not matter, either. We have 32/64GB cards coming. It sounds a way smaller upgrade compared to Blackstone -> Leo.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

The screen is my main problem. I am convinced that the HD2 is the perfect sized phone. You could have a slightly larger screen with the same phone size too. I really hope they make a WM7 phone with at least a 4 inch screen. I would hate to have to downgrade just so i can upgrade.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Strangerx Strangerx

same here, I probably wouldn't go lower than 4 inch.

oh @ Florian, internal storage is always good, it won't make 'upgrade' to that handset though. I love my HD2 and I'm sure I'll have it for a whole year (that would be end of november)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=746307628 Ricardo Dawkins

Strong specs. Lets see the software!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5401995 Christopher Hippolyte

Considering we don't know if the HD2 will get an official upgrade path, the answer is an ecstatic, "hells yea! I'll wait for next gen devices. Let's see we still have
1. SDXC support to come (hello 64GB and up microSDXC cards)
2. USB 3.0 support to come
3. miniDVI hopefully
4. WiMax support to come
5. Native WM7 support of course

The future is looking bright for next gen devices.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

If my old phone was a HD or something then I'd probably regret the HD2 now. however my last phone was a TyTn 2. I'm happy about my new phone and also happy that i have almost a year until it's not the best which is longer than i expected. not getting WM7 will be bad but I'm sure I'll survive.

Giu

To all HD2 owners: Hahahaha! Now you know how us original HD owners felt when HTC turned round and gave us the middle finger. This is why my next device WON’T be by HTC. They make too many devices too quickly then alienate customers with “old” devices.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

yes i would prefer it if they only released one phone a year, business and media alternating. i would also love it if these devices only improved slightly each year so i can catch up and don't feel left out. actually i think the best thing for them to do would be to not release any new phones. they would do this if they were good people.

Sorry but i couldn't help it.

http://intensedebate.com/people/simbadogg simbadogg

i'm sorry, but both of you guys have the most flawed reasoning i've ever heard in my entire. life. Because YOU personally aren't ready to buy a new phone every year, you think its stupid for HTC to make a new high end/premium device because you're not able to get it (probably because of contract upgrading reasons). Man i sure am glad that you guys have no input whatsoever in consumer electronics companies. If i get bored of my til2 after 8 months and feel like upgrading to a newer version, i'd love to have the option, rather than be forced to wait til november of 2012 for the replacement. that's ridiculous.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

Sarcasm – an eternal mystery to many.

Translation: I agree with what you're saying Simbadogg and disagree with Giu

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

lol, this is rich. I like what you did there.

http://intensedebate.com/people/l3v5y l3v5y

Virtually every manufacturer does that. It makes a lot of business sense to sell the latest hardware instead of supporting old stuff which you're not making any money from.
Jos Dewey

Why are you laughing?

I'm an HD2 owner and I don't feel anything having seen this leak – it has a much smaller screen and it won't be coming out until October 2010. October is almost one year after the HD2 dropped, it's two years after the HD dropped.

Me personally, and most other aware consumers I'm sure, expect a device like this to not become obsolete in under 12 months. A year is just about the right time for an upgrade to come, so why would I, as an HD2 owner, be surprised in any way, shape or form?

I bought my HD2 in December knowing it would probably be made obsolete and a successor released in 10-11 months which would put it at a reasonable year old.

If you buy a piece of electronics and expect it to remain the latest and greatest after 12+ months, then the issue is you. A year is plenty of time for your device to be the cream of the crop before the same company puts out something nicer.

http://www.facebook.com/florian.zeindl Florian Zeindl

There are plenty of WM6.5 roms out for the Blackstone, i don't see the issue with the HTC Middlefinger. People could care less for official updates for WM6.X devices. The difference is, the specs of the HD2 are way ahead of the blackstone, while the HTC "Obsession" sounds very similar. It sports the same CPU/Chipset. 50MB more ram won't make a difference. One top device a year is what most companies put out, including apple. The key with HTC is to realize when an upgrade is meaningful. Upgrading from one MSM7200A chipset device to another, obviously, makes little sense. From MSM7200A to snapdragon does make sense. Now from Snapdragon to snapdragon will be the same as with the MSM7200A devices: Cosmetic differences, but nothing major.

JanH

Amen to that.
I have bought 5 smartphones for work related matters.
Milestone, HD2, iPhone 3GS, N900 and N97.
Waiting for the Xperia X10, Nexus One and iPhone 4GS.

AsI see it now, while using the HD2 getting the mentioned tweaked up version is of no use.

I concure with Florian. A possible next worthwhile upgrade on a HTC device is next year. Possibly Q2.

http://intensedebate.com/people/TekDragon TekDragon

I'd be happy with either if I could get a CDMA version for Verizon. I'll have to see what the LG Apollo looks like. Never been a big fan of LG anything, so while the specs sound impressive, I'll reserve judgement until I see it.
wookash

If You think that HTC doesn't give a damn about its users only because they release new phones quite often, then it's clear you haven't had much contact with other manufacturers. My Omnia2 is "the Samsung" and still doesn't get any support from the producer – once Sammy mentioned that O2 is "too young" of a device to get proper support. LOL.

BTW, I just bought the HD2. I was afraid it would be too big in comparison to the O2. Couldn't be more wrong. And in comparison, the O2 screen seems petite. Therefore I can't imagine changing the HD2 for Obsession – the screen is going to bee too small.
SeventhSon

Coming in October 2010. No reason to wait that long, I'm definitely getting the HD2. Although the HD2 is already so far behind when it "should" have been released in the US imo.

http://intensedebate.com/people/l3v5y l3v5y

HD2 is great as is, and as with most companies, there'll be a yearly refresh cycle. It'll be replaced in a year but XDA will remain!

http://twitter.com/iFlossiFOB @iFlossiFOB

Well first off, the LG phone really shook me up. I'm a HTC fan but if LG releases a 1GB/1GB phone i'm going to think twice before an HTC phone even though the optimizations from HTC makes up for the performance difference.

http://intensedebate.com/people/l3v5y l3v5y

On my HD2 with Sense and a bucketload of stuff running I never go below 100MB free RAM. There's simply no point in 1GB RAM in a phone, unless the OS has become so bloated that it can't run without it.

Jim

LG normally make phones with great specs then screw it up with their S-Class UI. Hopefully WM7 will be good enough that LG don't need to touch it!
http://intensedebate.com/people/pinguino1 pinguino1

First of all it is not HTC fault for the delays in US.

It is FCC fault for assigning band in US that are not used in most of the rest of the world.

It is AT&T-Verizon, Spring and T-Mo who are greedy, want unique specs to brand the devices take for ever to test them and just want to get long term contracts.

In Europe and Asia they just ask for the phone and $0 for the device with flexible contracts is usual.

In the other hand, the HD2 is still the best phone in the market, and the Supersonic (stupid name) one year later has about the same specs but with smaller screen. Less than 4.0 is not optimum for multi-touch and virtual keyboard.

It's not going yto beeasy to up the HD2 for a while.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

there are so many people enjoying the HD2 and I can't even see it in real life. why don't you just horry up and get to it huh t-mobile? what's up wit the lagging?
Florence

Obsession looks more like a downgrade comparing to HT HD2; on the other hand, LG Apollo… now that will be something to look forward if T-Mo will bring it on, witch I doubed it. I think I'm gonna be happy for a year with the HD2!
SJ

As an HD2 owner, I have no regret whatsoever. It is simply a joy to use. I agree that smaller screen than HD2 will be considered a downgrade.
http://fonsymbian.net Miron

HTC HD2 also has snapdragon, so do you think that in official WM7 rom HD2 will get 720p video recording ability?
Bernard

I was convinced that my next phone would be the HTC HD2, but I’ve seen a web browsing video on pocketnow.com against the nexus one and I saw the different between a AMOLED and non AMOLED screen and the Obsession has peaked my interest I will at least wait until its released and play with both phones in store before I make a decision, 4.3 inch screen cannot be denied but an AMOLED screen cant turn my nose up at that either even if it is 3.7 inch
Peter

Wonder i HTC will totally cover Winphone seven operating system with its own shell or if they are going to let WinPhone seven stand on it´s own.
It would be a shame if we didn´t get to experience Seven after all this waiting for a new operating system from Windows.

I for one would love to have seven on this new device, I don´t care that much about HTC flow shell…To much fluff and to little business.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Fellwalker Fellwalker

small screen! waste of an otherwise good spec. I'm not sorry to have an HD2.
dan dan metal man

i will be changing my HD2 ffor this, Pretty much same spec but a much better size for a phone. I love my HD2 but its just a monster to carry around
Tyron

Exactly the reason why I will probs wait for this or a similar device, love HTC, love windows mobile with endless possibilities. HD 2 too large, like a diamond on steroids. This will be a nexus one for people wanting software that integrates with real lives out of the box rather than third party apps to open standard office docs etc. All hail HTC Im a pc+phone+games console+media centre, and windows was my idea. Ha
http://twitter.com/joanneholfmann @joanneholfmann

HTC Obsession should include a 1GHz processor, 512MB of ROM/RAM, 4GB of internal storage, MicroSD memory card slot (32GB), a 3.7-inch capacitive AMOLED display, 5.0-megapixel camera. Insane! More details: http://bit.ly/htc-obsession-details