HTC Desire Eye Smartphone Boasts Selfie Supremacy Alongside RE Action Camera

HTC's new smartphone, the Desire Eye, is designed to offer "simply the best selfies" with a high-resolution front-facing camera. The company also revealed a GoPro-like action camera called HTC RE, and a social platform to share pictures and videos.

With 13 megapixel front and back cameras, the HTC Desire Eye, the Desire model's new top-of-the-range, is sold as the "ultimate selfie" smartphone. For comparison, Samsung's S5 only has a 2MP front-facing camera.

The Desire Eye's two image processors enable it to take videos or photos from both cameras at once.

This "split capture" function allows the user to splice him or herself next to the scenery, or, with additional software, superimpose one on the other to create a virtual selfie.

The device is 5.2 inches full HD display, with a colourful waterproof body. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and is equipped with high-speed 4G.

HTC RE action camera

And that's not all HTC debuted at its 'Dual Exposure' press conference in New York. The Chinese electronics manufacturer also revealed the RE camera, a handheld point-and-shoot camera not unlike a GoPro.

Using the RE, HTC says you can "naturally capture and fully experience the moment."

It has a number of functions for photograph and video enthusiasts, including sensor activation (that means no power button) and single shutter button allows the user to tap for pictures, and press a bit longer for video.

Re has a 16 mega-pixel CMOS sensor, full HD (1080p) video recording, a 146 degree wide-angle lens and can do slow-motion and time lapse recording.

"Our opera is about blending design, technology, software and hardware to create great experiences." - Cher Wang #HTCLive

— HTC (@htc) October 8, 2014

The announcement caps off a good month for the smartphone maker, having last week made two straight profitable quarters following an extended period of decline, and also winning smartphone of the year at the T3 awards for its HTC One (M8).

HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said: "Back in 1997, we allowed people to leave their laptops at home in favour of powerful, pocket-sized smartphone computing.

"Today we are taking a similar leap forward. Combining incredible hardware with unrivalled software, HTC is reinventing the way we think about imaging.

"We are taking you out from behind the viewfinder and putting you back where you belong, at the heart of the action."

These devices are due to go on sale in the US this month and in the UK shortly afterwards. HTC has only said that the Desire Eye will cost "less than the One M8," and it's expected that RE will price at around $199 in the US.