Verizon Preps 'Incredible' Smartphone

(click image for larger view)
Verizon HTC Droid 'Incredible' Smartphone

This story was updated at 1:45 PM ET.

Verizon Wireless confirmed Thursday that it is readying for release this month an HTC smartphone based on Google's Android operating system.

An "official" staging site for the HTC Droid Incredible was uncovered Wednesday by Phandroid, a site for Android phone fans. While the site only said the Incredible was "coming soon," the DailyTech blog showed a staging site that said the smartphone is coming April 29.

Verizon Wireless declined comment Wednesday when contacted by InformationWeek.

According to an HTC features document obtained by the Boy Genius Report blog, the Incredible would have a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 480 x 800 pixels and an 8-megapixel camera. The smartphone has 8 GB of internal memory and a slot for an external MicroSD storage device.

The document also reveals that the Incredible would be pre-loaded with Android 2.1, a browser that supports Adobe's Flash Lite 4.0 and HTC's Sense user interface, a custom overlay to Android that offers social networking support and powerful screen switching tools.

Eric Zeman confirms the specs released Thursday.

HTC makes smartphones powered by Android and Windows Phone. Last month, the company debuted with Sprint the long-rumored WiMax-powered Android smartphone called the EVO 4G. The smartphone, set for release this summer, also supports Spring's 3G network.

The EVO 4G has a 4.3-inch display with 800 x 480 pixels, a 1 GHz Qualcomm processor and 1GB of built-in memory. The device runs Android 2.1 and the Sense UI.

The Droid Incredible will be available for pre-order on April 19, and will hit store shelves April 29. The price is $300 at Verizon retail stores, but there is a $100 mail-in rebate card, which lowers the price to $200.