The HTC Desire 22 Pro is a mid-range smartphone with a unique metaverse angle
(Image credit: HTC)
We’ve waited a long time for a new smartphone from HTC and today the Taiwanese company finally launched their newest offering, the HTC Desire 22 Pro. It’s a midrange 5G Android 12 smartphone, which is being touted as the perfect companion for the company’s range of VIVE VR headsets.
The unique thing about the HTC Desire 22 Pro is its metaverse angle. In case any readers aren’t familiar with the term, put very simply the metaverse is the internet, but in 3D. The new smartphone boasts HDCP 2.2 support, meaning you can wirelessly mirror content from platforms like Disney+ and Netflix – an experience which would be enhanced with HTC’s VIVE Flow glasses.
There are plenty of blockchain-based features on the Desire 22 Pro - it features ‘Vive Wallet, letting users keep owned NFTs in order, as well as monitoring the performance of cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, Viverse Market lets you buy metaverse goods.
Interestingly, the HTC Desire 22 Pro, as a mid-ranger, features wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, meaning it is capable of powering the VIVE Flow glasses.
If you ignore the metaverse, VR, blockchain et al., the HTC Desire 22 Pro still has decent specs for a mid-ranger priced at £399.
The understated-looking handset has a 6.6-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, a Snapdragon 695 5G chip (could be faster but still decent), 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It has a 4520 mAh battery, which seems a little underwhelming but its IP67 certification makes it stand out at this price point.
A 64MP wide sensor with an f/1.79 aperture heads up the HTC Desire 22 Pro’s triple camera system on the rear. It’s joined by a 13MP ultrawide and a 5MP depth-sensing camera. There’s also a 32MP front facing camera for selfies and live streaming.
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HTC Desire 22 Pro: Price and availability
Priced at £399/€459, the HTC Desire 22 Pro is available to pre-order now directly from HTC and will be released on August 1. It doesn’t look like it’ll be available in the US.
Rachael is a British journalist with 18 years experience in the publishing industry. Since working on www.digitalcameraworld.com, she’s been freelancing, and contributing to some of the world’s best-loved websites and magazines including T3.com and TechRadar.com and has also had a book, iPad for Photographers, published. She's currently acting as editor of 5GRadar.com - a website specializing in the latest cellular technology.
