Rumors have been circulating that HTC was planning a mid-cycle replacement for the
One V, the Proto, that would keep the line relevant in the face of some noticeably
tougher competition. It may be more of a reality than a notch on the roadmap. As long as
The Verge's press renders are authentic, the Proto should be an almost straightforward, international edition of the previously China-only
New Desire V (T328w). HTC wouldn't be reinventing the wheel -- it would reportedly add a much-needed second core to the 1GHz processor but keep the same 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage and 7.2Mbps 3G as the smartphone's early 2012 prequel; though we'd imagine the second SIM slot would be nixed. If, where and when the Proto shows up is still left to the imagination, though. Next week's
IFA show is a tempting target for a late 2012 release, but there's no hard and fast rule that any introduction has to coincide with a major event.
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