HTC has taken to the stage in New York at its anticipated Double Exposure event, unveiling new hardware and software that confirms that HTC is still serious about imaging.

Jumping wholeheartedly onto the selfie bandwagon, the HTC Desire Eye is the latest smartphone from the Taiwanese company, offering a 13-megapixel front-facing camera. 

The intention is to dominate the selfie space, offering a device that's as capable with the front camera as it is with the rear. There's a range of software enhancements to support the new camera model, as well as a front-facing dual LED flash.

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Sitting in the Desire range, the new handset offers a plastic build in a couple of fun colour schemes.

The second device announced at the New York event sees HTC branch into a new product category with the Re camera. The unusual name comes from the idea of "re-thinking" cameras.

The interesting thing is the design. Looking like a tiny periscope, HTC has put simplicity and usability over everything else, aiming to free users from being stuck behind their phone.

This portable camera works as a standalone device, but connects to your smartphone, with an app offing support for both Android and iOS. 

The HTC Re will offer both stills and video capture, but the device itself only features a button to initiate capture, with no display.

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HTC's interest in imaging doesn't stop with these two new hardware devices, however. Sitting under the umbrella of the "HTC Eye Experience", HTC will be rolling out new camera features to a number of existing devices to bring enhanced selfie features.

Making their debut on the HTC Desire Eye, you'll be able to have auto selfie capture, voice control, split screen, face tracking in video and more.

The Double Exposure event also saw the launch of HTC's Zoe platform. Evolved from the highlight video feature first found on the HTC One (M7) in Sense 5, Zoe is designed to let everyone get in on the fun with for a new social network based around video.

Zoe is very much like Instagram, but leverages some of HTC's great work in video highlights through the app itself. Zoe will help you automatically mix content - both video and photos - stylise them and add music with virtually no input needed from the user, so it's really simple.

The Zoe app is going live on Android and iOS shortly, the HTC Eye Experience updates will be landing on existing HTC devices in the coming months.

The HTC Desire Eye handset will be available in late October, as will the HTC Re camera. In the UK, Three has confirmed they will be stocking the Re camera.