HTC's Droid Incredible 4G LTE improves upon last year's Droid Incredible 2 in every conceivable way, but is that enough? Heading to Verizon Wireless in the coming weeks, this Android Ice Cream sandwich phone sports a sharper 4-inch qHD Super LCD screen (up from 800 x 480), 4G LTE speeds (instead of 3G only) and a considerably faster dual core 1.2-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor (up from single core).
We took the latest Incredible for a spin at CTIA Wireless 2012 to see if it lives up to its name. Here's our initial impressions.
Unlike the HTC One S, the Incredible 4G LTE doesn't have a dedicated ImageChip for rapid-fire photos, but the 8-MP camera on this Verizon handset does have a baskside illuminated sensor with an f 2.2 aperture. Even in a very dim room the phone snapped pretty detailed shots without noticeable grain. Plus, you can capture still photos while you record video with the Video Pic feature of HTC Sense 4.0.
The back of the Droid Incredible 4G LTE has a rubberized ridged finish we found easy to grip. This phone is chunkier than the One S, but you can remove the battery and expand the memory via microSD up to 32 GB.
HTC's Sense 4.0 software rides on top of Ice Cream Sandwich, and offers some welcome enhancements. For instance, the 3D multitasking menu makes it easy to switch apps and you get threaded conversations in HTC's email app. Those who prefer a "pure" Android experience will want to opt for the Galaxy Nexus instead.
The Droid Incredible 4G LTE seems like a very solid successor to the Droid Incredible 2, but this is certainly not a flagship-type phone like the HTC One X. Then again, some shoppers don't want a phone with a huge 4.7-inch screen. Assuming Verizon prices the new Incredible accordingly, the carrier should have a winner on its hands with a phone you can easily operate with one hand.
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