Verizon HTC One Release Date Rumors: Leak Says Verizon Version in Testing, Could Hit US in '3 - 4 Months'

While the new HTC One smartphone -- the company's singular offering this year -- will be coming to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile customers in the U.S. in the next few weeks, Verizon subscribers feared being left out in the cold.

Now it appears that a Verizon version is in the works, though it may not debut for several months.

@emepror_matt I can only say that device on early test stage...probably it will be released in 3-4 months...

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) February 28, 2013

A generally reliable leaker has hinted that testing has begun on the Verizon model of the HTC One.

"I can only say that device on early test stage...probably it will be released in 3-4 months..." tweeted LlabTooFeR, in response to a query about the phone.

While that's not exactly conclusive proof, LlabTooFeR did previously leak what looked like specifications for the Verizon HTC One.

HTC unveiled its upgrade to the HTC One line of phones in February, but the hype was quickly swallowed by Mobile World Congress and the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S IV.

HTC was once a much more popular phone manufacturer, and its Sense user interface for Android was lauded for its beauty and ease of use.

Now HTC has revamped Sense and streamlined its smartphone line. It's betting everything on the new HTC One, hoping to win back some market share now dominated by Apple and Samsung.

That's likely to be a difficult road. HTC accounted for only 4.7 percent of worldwide smartphone sales in 2012, so increasing that share is low-hanging fruit. But BlackBerry is in similar straits, and it's likely only one of the companies will be able to break back into the market, especially with Sony's Xperia Z turning so many heads.

Sony has plenty of other products to fall back on, so it can afford to remain a small player for now. But the market is already crowded. It would be a shame to see either HTC or BlackBerry fail, as both companies have a long history of innovation and quality.

If they leave the phone making business to Apple and Samsung, consumers will be the worse for it.