HTC's 2nd Flagship For 2017 Rumored To Start Testing Under Verizon's Network; Will Be Powered By Snapdragon 835

HTC is planning to release a second flagship Android smartphone in 2017. A source claims that the still-unnamed device is already being prepared to be tested on Verizon’s network.

This new information about HTC’s upcoming flagship smartphone was first reported by HTC Source. The site’s insider source claims that the device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor, the same chipset that’s expected to be on Samsung’s Galaxy S8.

HTC’s other flagship smartphone, speculated to be called the HTC 11, is rumored to also come with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a dual-camera setup with 24MP and 13MP sensors, a 16MP front-facing camera and rear-facing fingerprint reader. Although a lot of people believe that the device will be called the HTC 11, it’s possible that the handset might be released under the HTC U brand.

It was previously rumored that HTC second flagship smartphone won’t be making its way to the U.S. market. But with the Taiwanese phone maker allegedly planning to test the device under Verizon’s network, that rumor is starting to fall apart.

As for the inclusion of the Snapdragon 835 processor, HTC president of smartphone and connected devices Chialin Chang already hinted at that back in January. The executive didn’t name the chipset outright, but he implied it quite heavily.

“Every time there is a brand new CPU with power that we can leverage, we're always at the forefront doing that,” Chang said when asked whether the U Ultra would be the only HTC flagship in 2017. “Some people are talking about the timing [of our release] but timing was determined 9 months ago. This is the best CPU out there. When the next flagship CPU comes, HTC will be one of the very first tier doing that.”

The only major problem that’s facing HTC with using Snapdragon 835 on its new phone is Samsung. It was reported in January that Samsung has acquired all the first shipments of the Snapdragon 835 chipsets for the Galaxy S8. The chipset won’t be widely available to other manufacturers until after April 14, the alleged launch date of the Galaxy S8, according to Forbes.