Samsung Galaxy S 4 buzz still white-hot, but could that mean we're ignoring the HTC M7

The date displayed on the apparent Galaxy S 4's home screen has provoked speculation that the device will be released on April 22 -- rumors had previously centered on the upcoming Mobile World Congress, to be held at the end of February. But now everyone seems to agree that Samsung would throw its own launch party for such a big-deal new product.

[MORE ANDROID: Android malware cases to hit 1 million in 2013]

*

HTC playing second fiddle to Samsung is hardly a new phenomenon, and it's therefore not a surprise to see that the Taiwanese company is apparently pushing to get its latest flagship -- the M7 -- onto the market well before rival Samsung's Galaxy S 4 can steal all the headlines. The latest suggestions indicate that the M7 will be rolled out about a week before MWC, and Android Police got their hands on an apparent picture of the device earlier in the week.

The M7 itself isn't looking like a world-beater -- rumors so far seem to suggest that it'll be essentially a slightly smaller Droid DNA with more internal storage and a nicer camera. However, unlike the Verizon-only DNA, it's being reported now that the M7 will be available on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. If true, that ends HTC's streak of putting out impressive but carrier-exclusive handsets and could easily raise the company's profile in the North American market.