HTC Sensation XL unveiled with Beats by Dre inside

HTC's not-very-well-kept secret is out – it has announced the HTC Sensation XL, the handset that was previously known as Runnymeade.

The Sensation XL is the first handset that HTC has built working with Beats engineers from the very beginning, after dropping a rumoured $300m for a stake in Beats By Dre earlier this year (unlike the HTC Sensation XE, which had Beats audio added to it as an extra).

But it's not just about music; HTC's director of commercialisation product management Graham Wheeler told us that the Sensation XL is "the best in all fields", describing it as a flagship device.

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So you might be surprised to hear that it has only a single-core processor – albeit a 1.5GHz affair – and the 4.7-inch Super LCD screen has a resolution of only 480x800, on a par with the Windows Phone 7.5-running HTC Titan.

In fact, it basically is the HTC Titan on Android, so it has the same 4.7-inch display, same 9.9mm thickness, but comes with Android 2.3 and Sense 3.5.

It's the Beats audio enhancements that are the real boost that the Sensation XL boasts over the Titan.

As with the Sensation XE, the handset comes with special Beats in-ear headphones and knows when a song in your music library has been optimised for Beats so you'll always get the better experience automatically.

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Some networks in the UK are likely to offer Beats Solo over the head headphones as a limited edition bundle – these come in a special white, inline remote toting HTC edition.

The camera has also had a bit of love, as the Sensation XL comes with an 8MP camera with dual LED flash and a host of new software enhancements like additional effects and low light capabilities.

No word on HTC Sensation XL UK pricing yet, but the company has set the UK release date for some time in Q4.

While that could, theoretically, be any time between now and 31 December, Wheeler told TechRadar at a briefing that he anticipates a launch in November 2011.

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