HTC announced the European launch of its Desire 500 smartphone, a mid-tier device the troubled vendor said is “designed for those who demand a superior mobile experience at an affordable price”.

It has a 4.3-inch display, is powered by a 1.2GHz quad core processor, and includes an 8MP camera alongside a dedicated HTC ImageChip processor.

It also supports the vendor’s BlinkFeed content aggregation feature.

In select markets the device will also be available with dual SIM support and NFC.

Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, said: “The Desire range has become renowned for bringing a premium mobile experience to the mass market. This particular model, the Desire 500, is no different.”

In a conference call late last month, the vendor revealed it is set to refresh its mid-tier portfolio, having lost market share due to intense competition in this market.

While much of the recent focus has been on HTC’s flagship smartphone – the well-regarded One – this device alone is not enough to deliver the volumes that will enable the company to fully leverage economies of scale.

But the company will face a raft of formidable competitors in the mid tier, not least from fellow Android vendors such as Samsung, Huawei, ZTE and LG Electronics – and Nokia’s Windows Phone portfolio also should not be counted out.

Earlier this year, HTC announced the Desire 600, a higher-spec sibling for Desire 600.