HTC handheld would have big stereo speakers

A new patent filing has signaled that HTC might put an even stronger emphasis on music through speakers. What was caught early by Patent Bolt would go beyond devices like the Surround and put two stereo speakers on the design. Depending on the version, it would either have the speakers on the top and bottom of the phone, facing the user, or two speakers on the back with a kickstand in between.

Although the patent covers both smartphones and MP3 players, it has conspicuously little mention of cellular technology, raising the possibility that HTC might get into the media player space led by the iPod touch. It does show micro USB and HDMI connectors as well as a back camera.

Whether or not it would use Android like most of HTC's line, or Windows Phone like the Surround, wasn't apparent in the generic-looking shot.

The patent was filed in early 2011, relatively recently for a patent, and shows that the concepts behind the dual-speaker design are at least recent. HTC isn't under an obligation to make a real product out of the patents, but the public appearance of the filing has come just as HTC was making more out of its Beats Audio deal by releasing the