HTC's latest patent suggests that a competitor to Apple's iPod Touch is on the way. The device features a kickstand, stereo speakers and no support for 3G.

"The device detailed in the patent shows ... a WiFi-only handset," Phandroid reports. There is no information on bandwidths that a phone would use, such as 3G or LTE, so HTC seem to be positioning the device as a cheaper alternative to smartphones. There is also no mention of a built-in microphone.

The benefit is that, like the iPod Touch, games and other forms of media could be played without the cost of paying for a mobile plan. Devices like the iPhone 4S are expensive to buy, resulting in Wi-Fi-only devices such as the iPod Touch and the iPad becoming more popular. The new iPad sold 3 million copies during its first week on sale, more than the iPad 2.

"Launching the Android equivalent of an iPod Touch could be huge. Android is very popular, but prohibitive for consumers to jump on the bandwagon," SlashGear says. Google also recently launched the Google Play service this month as they rebranded the Android market, offering games - such as the popular Draw Something - to buy online, in a move to bring marketshare away from iTunes and iOS. Google Play also offers music, movies, books and Android apps.

"Stereo speakers to [e]nhance [m]ultimedia like YouTube" are mentioned in the patent, which are on either side of the phone, with two more on the back. The speakers slide out, similar to the HTC Surround device for Windows Phone 7. At the time the speakers were criticised for lacking audio quality.

There is also a kickstand, similar to the HTC EVO 4G, which allows the device to stand independently.

HTC and its Beats audio division recently acquired MOG, the music subscription service for around $17 million. Beats has aspirations to offer an online music service, so a device pitched specifically towards using media would play into that.

"It [the device] appears to have micro-USB and possibly a micro-HDMI out port," Android Community notes. The device also has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which would again position it as a media-centric device.

HTC is also set to be the first company to be Sony certified outside of Sonysphere, allowing PlayStation games to come to more devices outside of the Xperia Play. This would be a welcome move for Android, a platform that has been overshadowed by the range of games that iOS offers. The certification could also be in time for the device in the patent to launch.

The patent was submitted in Q1 2011 and published last month.