Skip to main content

No nonsense, budget Android smartphone, the HTC Desire 200, made official

HTC Desire 200HTC has made a new phone official, but it’s not quite up there with the HTC One in terms of super high specs, and is instead a new entrant into the basic, low-cost smartphone market. The phone is the Desire 200, and its features suggest it could be the phone leaked as the HTC G2 back in February.

So, what’s it all about? The Desire 200 is about as simple as you want to get with a smartphone. The screen measures 3.5-inches and has a 480 x 320 pixel resolution, and is powered by a Snapdragon S1 processor, with a clock speed of 1GHz. There’s 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage memory, plus a microSD card slot which can bump up the storage by 32GB.

HTC Desire 200 RearOn the rear of the 11.9mm thick chassis, there is a 5-megapixel camera which can also record VGA quality video, but does not possess a flash unit. HTC has added a selection of filters to apply to your photos, plus a one-touch share option too. At 100 grams, the Desire 200 is pleasingly lightweight, and also comes with Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, Beats Audio enhancements, and a 1230mAh battery.

Google Android is listed as the phone’s operating system, but HTC hasn’t stated which version is installed, however since it appears to use the HTC Sense 4+ user interface, we should expect either Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. As far as connectivity goes, it supports various 2G and 3G bands, including HSPA data speeds.

In the official pictures, the Desire 200 looks sleek and stylish, just as you’d expect an HTC phone to be, which should help it win a few fans when it goes on sale. Exactly when this will be, how much it will cost, and where it will be sold is unknown, but we’ll update here as soon as HTC, or a local network, confirms the final details.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Qualcomm and Asus have made their own ultimate Android phone
The Asus Qualcomm Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders.

Qualcomm has collaborated with Asus to make its definition of the ultimate Android smartphone. It’s called the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders, and as the clunky name suggests, it’s designed primarily as a perk for Qualcomm’s army of dedicated fans. To put it into better context, think of it like a Nexus smartphone commissioned by a chipmaker, rather than a software maker.

Like Google when it launched the Nexus range of hardware in 2011, Qualcomm is not a device manufacturer, hence it has worked with Asus to make the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders. To be clear, this isn’t a Qualcomm phone, it’s an Asus phone, and it will sell the phone through its own online store. Although it’s made to appeal to the 1.6 million-strong team of Snapdragon Insiders, anyone with $1,499 to spare can buy one.
What makes the phone special?
Yes, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders (from here on, I’ll refer to the phone as the SSI) costs $1,499, so what do you get? After all, this is more expensive than the most powerful phones available today, such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and Asus’ top ROG Phone 5, so it better be good. From Qualcomm’s perspective, the SSI is a showcase for the Snapdragon 888 processor, paired here with 5G and a massive 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space.

Read more
How to use your Android smartphone to stream Xbox games
how to set up ps4 remote play on ios and android xbox game streaming with controller

Ask anyone which they prefer in the "Android vs. iOS" battle, and the answer is likely to be a passionate one. That's for a good reason, of course, since both platforms have a lot to offer supporters, and crucially, don't always get the same apps, games, and features. Android, however, has a particularly large feather in its cap: The ability to stream and play Xbox games through the internet, with no console required.

Android users, with a little help from a handy Bluetooth controller, are able to play Xbox games through the wonders of cloud gaming. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Note 20 got early access to the service, and with their large screens and powerful hardware, they're a perfect fit for the cloud gaming experience. But they're not the only Android devices that can play Xbox games. Here's how you can play Xbox games on your Android smartphone.

Read more
Android vs. iOS: Which smartphone platform is the best?
android vs ios v cameras feat

If you’re buying a new smartphone today, chances are extremely good it will run one of two operating systems: Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS. These two platforms account for virtually all new smartphones shipped in the last couple of years, according to the IDC. In fact, the "other" category is so small that it doesn't even account for 0.1% of sales.

That's some serious dominance by the two biggest players, and the good news is that both smartphone operating systems are excellent. They have quite a bit in common with each other, but there are some important differences you’ll want to consider when you're trying to decide between these twin giants. We’re going to pit Android against iOS in several categories here and pick a winner for each one.

Read more