HTC unveils Desire V, its first-ever dual-SIM offering; Can it woo 3G users

Taiwanese manufacturer HTC has finally entered the dual-SIM mobile segment with its latest smartphone offering called Desire V. The device runs on the Android operating system and might be available in India by the end of next month.

This handset has 4 inch capacitive touchscreen (480×800 pixel resolution) display and runs on the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS (out of the box) with HTC Sense v4.0 interface. Powered by a 1 GHz Qualcomm processor, it has 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB internal memory and a microSD slot for expanding the same up to 32 GB. Desire V also features a 5 MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash that can record videos, but it has no secondary front-facing camera.

On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (with Wi-Fi hotspot) and 3G, but no Near Field Communication (NFC). It also comes with a micro USB port, stereo FM radio with RDS and GPS (with A-GPS support) and 'Beats Audio' for enhanced sound.

The device measures 118.5 mmx62.3 mmx9.3 mm and weighs 114 gm. We have no information on its battery life yet, but it should be available in black and white colours (since those two are standard for all HTC phones).

Its pricing for the Indian market has not been announced either. But going by the specifications, Desire V may cost less than Rs 18,000. Other competitors in this price segment include Samsung's Galaxy Ace Duos (Rs 13,490) and Galaxy Y Duos (Rs 8,990), Micromax Superfone Lite A75 (Rs 8,545) and Spice Mi-350n (Rs 7,710). But as far as specs go, Desire V already holds an edge since it is running on the Android ICS OS while the other handsets mentioned here run on the earlier version (Gingerbread OS). Plus, the new device has a 5 MP camera, compared to the 3-3.2 MP cameras available on those devices.

It was only a matter of time before the manufacturer entered the dual-SIM segment as dual-SIM handsets are rapidly gaining in popularity among Indian buyers. Nokia offers quite a few low-priced dual-SIM devices in the country that sell like hot cakes. But here's a drawback if you want to opt for Desire V. Although it's a dual-SIM device, only one SIM card comes with 3G support (most probably SIM 1); the other card only supports 2G. So those looking for an all-3G experience (especially when prices are down and one can well afford it) may not be too impressed by this one.