HTC has finally made the HTC One M8 official, and yes, that really is the name it has chosen. Despite the device being steadily and comprehensively leaked over the past few months, HTC did manage to hold back a few details to surprise us with on the big day. The question is: Does the all-new HTC One have what it takes to win people's hearts and wallets this time around, helping to return the company to former glories. Or will it suffer at the hands of Samsung and the Galaxy S5? Let's find out with a close look at the all the official details.
Updated on 03-25-2014 by Andy Boxall: All the official information on the HTC One M8 has been added to the article below, while all the many, many rumors from our roundup can still be found on page two.
Hardware will sound familiar
If all you worry about is specs, then the HTC One M8 won't capture your attention for long, as not only is it fairly similar to last year's HTC One, but it's also identical to many other high-end smartphones on the market today. For example, the screen measures 5-inches, is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and has a 1080p resolution.
HTC has chosen the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor running at 2.3GHz to power the phone, and paired it with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage memory. A welcome addition is a MicroSD card slot, which can bump this figure by a huge 128GB, if you don't mind spending some cash on the card itself. A 16GB version of the One M8 will also be produced, but potentially only sold in Europe.
A pair of BoomSound speakers are mounted on the front panel, and the amp is supposed to be 25 percent louder than before, but there's no Beats Audio branding or software included this time around. Above the screen is a 5-megapixel camera with a wide-angle lens, and HTC has tweaked the rear 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera to work with the Snapdragon 801 processor, which results in a 0.3 second focus time, and better quality images.
Duo Camera looks cool
The many leaks told us the HTC One M8 would have a dual-lens camera, but short of saying it would be to mess around with the depth of field, they didn't go into much detail. We now know HTC is calling the new setup a Duo Camera, plus that it offers one-touch refocus, which it calls UFocus.
It's not the first time we've seen such technology on a smartphone. Most of this year's flagship phones offer something similar, such as Nokia's ReFocus app, and Magic Focus on the LG G Pro 2. The difference here is instead of being a software-driven system which takes several photos in quick succession to produce the desired effect, the Duo Camera includes all the depth information in one shot. It's the second lens, which is actually a sensor, that collects all that detail.
HTC says the Duo Camera captures "true depth information in your photos," meaning it understands which objects in your photo are close to you, and which are further away. This will allow users to add the blurred-background "bokeh" effect instantly, with a tap of the screen. This is all done in the regular camera mode, so there's no need to remember a setting or run a separate app, and there a various modes to help you implement the feature.
Additionally, the camera now has a dual-LED, dual-color flash, complete with different color modes for improved color reproduction. There's no optical image stabilization, only digital, but there is a selection of editing tools, and cool effects – including an unusual 3D look – to apply to your pictures. In the summer, HTC will release a new version of its Zoe video tool. This will make those short videos easier to produce, and also upload them into the cloud, ready for friends to re-edit and create their own versions.
Gorgeous metal bodywork
One aspect of the original HTC One which didn't need fixing is the design, and HTC has stuck with the same formula for the One M8. The metal unibody now covers 90 percent of the chassis, compared to 70 percent on the previous model, and it measures 9.3mm thick. The polished metal finish has a feathered, brushed design, described as an effect which is more at home on jewelry than a smartphone. If you've decided on a gold version of the One M8, you need to know it doesn't have the same brushed effect as the other models, and is apparently noticeably smoother to the touch.
New, Improved "Sixth Sense" software experience
Android 4.4 KitKat is installed on the One M8, and HTC has covered it in Sense 6.0, its revised and rebuilt user interface.BlinkFeed has been improved too. It's now one, long scrolling list, and draws from a list of 10,000 content providers. Those familiar with BlinkFeed will spot new animations, the introduction of larger images, new animations, and an easier way of adding additional content.
Other alterations inside Sense 6.0 include redesigned icons, more minimalist fonts, a wide range of themes, and several newly refreshed apps. For example, Sense TV is designed to replace your TV remote control, and comes with built-in social networking features, plus a dedicated sports section.
HTC has made BlinkFeed, the Gallery app and others available through Google Play, which will allow them to be updated without the need for an over-the-air update to be approved and sent out. It's a big step forward to keeping these apps fresh with new features. Also, HTC has opened BlinkFeed, Zoe, and UFocus up to developers, so they can be incorporated into third party apps.
Among the first partners to integrate into BlinkFeed are Foursquare, so check-ins and other news will be added to your feed, plus FitBit. This, combined with the One M8's sensors, turn it into a FitBit activity tracker, but without the wristband. It's also worth noting the One M8 has onscreen Android buttons, and not separate ones as with the original model.
Ignore the sleep/wake key, use gesture controls instead
HTC has added a selection of gesture controls called Motion Launch. These are accessed through a dedicated menu, and they're all designed to stop you from pressing the sleep/wake key, and to be used when the screen is off. For example, a double tap will wake up the screen, lifting the phone to your ear will answer it, while turning the device sideways and hitting the volume button will activate the camera.
Extreme power saving could be great
HTC has optimized the battery performance of the One M8 to provide 40 percent more battery life than the original One. An "extreme" battery-saving mode has also been added, which works like a turbocharged version of Samsung's Ultra Power Saver Mode on the Galaxy S5. Like the Samsung tool, it strips away all the garnish, provides a simple interface, and only lets you access basic features. According to HTC, a fully charged One M8 in Extreme Power Saver mode will last for up to two weeks without needing a recharge. That's one feature we want to test.
Google Play Edition incoming
HTC will also offer a One M8 without all its Sense 6.0 user interface, or the accompanying software, as a Google Play Edition. According to HTC officials, the phone will be up for pre-order very soon, and will ship over the next few weeks. We'll update here when it appears inside the Google Play store.
Wide range of accessories available at launch
In addition to One M8 specific versions of HTC's Double Dip and Flip cases, HTC has also launched the Fetch and the Mini+ accessories for the new phone. The Fetch is a keyring which helps locate a misplaced phone, and the Mini+ is a strange phone-for-your-phone device. The Dot View case is the only really new accessory. It's a flip front case which displays notifications, the weather, and the time in a retro dot-matrix look style.
When can you buy one, and how much will it cost?
HTC says the One M8 will be the single largest product launch in its history, and will be sold on 230 networks globally. It'll be on sale before the end of April in America, UK, Germany, France, China, Australia, and Taiwan. An exact date hasn't been provided, but "most will have the phone in-store before April 10."
However, if you're really keen, at 1 p.m. EST on March 25, a wide variety of networks, including AT&T and Sprint, will be selling the phone online, with delivery possible the day after. If you want to get your hands on the phone right now, then Verizon will sell you the device in-store at the same time.
AT&T has confirmed the One M8 will cost $200 with a two-year contract, or $32 per month on Next 12. Off-contract, unlocked pricing isn't available yet, but it's unlikely to be less than $600.
Let us know if HTC has done enough with the One M8 to persuade you it's the phone to buy, or will you be going for one of its competitors?
For its high-end smartphones over the past year, HTC has stuck to a fairly rigid formula. It has repeated the style introduced with the HTC One, but with larger and smaller aluminum phones like the HTC One Mini and HTC One Max. We'd complain, but the One happens to be the best looking smartphone design out there. For whatever reason though, the HTC One hasn't ascended to the same heights as Samsung's more popular Galaxy S4, and it must now compete with the high-spec Galaxy S5 and Sony's Xperia Z2. So what is HTC going to do for the sequel?
First, the rumors gathering around a device codename the HTC M8, but as the launch draws near, it looks like the firm has settled on the "All New HTC One" name for its 2014 flagship Android smartphone. Here's everything we think we know about it, so far.
Updated on 03-25-2014 by Andy: It's launch day for the All New HTC One, but there's still time for a few last minute rumors. The Google Play Edition has been accidentally confirmed, plus another hands-on video has been published. Another rumor has also been added in, suggesting HTC may have its own Android Wear smartwatch to announce.
All New HTC One will launch on March 25
HTC has confirmed it'll hold a special event on March 25 2014, where it says the "best will get better." Although it hasn't confirmed its arrival, it's almost certain the new HTC One will be unveiled. As expected, HTC will hold simultaneous launch events in New York and London, plus for those unable to attend, it'll live stream the proceedings on its own website.
Another leak also told us to look out for a Google Play Edition of the All New HTC One, something which HTC went on to accidentally confirm itself, in a listing for a new HTC Gallery app on the Google Play store. HTC supplied the One without its HTC Sense user interface before, making a sequel with stock Android 4.4 installed highly likely anyway.
HTC smartwatch with Android Wear could also be announced
HTC is confirmed as one of Google's hardware partners for Android Wear, the new wearables-only operating system, but has yet to announce a supporting device. Could that change at today's All New HTC One launch? That's certainly the opinion of SmarterWatching.com, where it's speculated HTC may at least hint at a forthcoming device, if only to discourage potential buyers from grabbing the Moto 360 or LG G Watch when the time comes. It's certainly possible, but given the amount of leaks regarding the All New One, we have a feeling something would have slipped out about a watch too, should one be on the cards for today. We won't mind if we're proven wrong though.
All New One available to buy on March 25, but only from certain stores
Amazingly, even though the phone hasn't been announced yet, some retailers are already telling eager customers they'll be stocking the device. In the UK, phone retailer Carphone Warehouse confirmed to Pocket-Lint.com it'll have the All New HTC One on sale right after it's launch on March 25. It'll be in stock at six London-based shops, and available to order over the phone.
When it arrives in America, a tip said the phone will find a home on all four major U.S. carriers. A more recent FCC filing has shown six different versions have been submitted for approval, and four of them are compatible with all the U.S. networks, so the new HTC One should be widely available. However, there's a chance Verizon has negotiated a short period of exclusivity with HTC, and like Carphone Warehouse, will offer the phone immediately after launch. This hasn't been confirmed, but according to the rumor, the exclusivity will last for "a couple of weeks."
If you're already poised to buy an HTC One, and would like it in gold, then you may need to visit Best Buy, as a tweet from @evleaks says the model will be exclusive to the store. Expect to pay $600 for the phone off-contract, or $200 if you sign-up for two years. To help build anticipation, last week AT&T held a competition to give away a new HTC One each day until the launch event. You've still got time to enter too.
It will probably look like the 2013 HTC One
A press-style image leaked by the @evleaks Twitter account, gave us a clear look at what HTC may have in store for us with the new One smartphone. Resplendent in gold, the phone is more rounded than its predecessor, and sports what appears to be dual camera lenses and a dual-LED flash on the back. Around the front we can see twin BoomSound speakers, plus a front facing camera and an unknown sensor next to it. This may house the proximity and ambient light sensor, but could also be for something else entirely. The screen's bezel is slimmer, and Android's command keys are now part of the display, making it look longer and more modern.
The look is similar to an earlier leaked image, which was published by an HTC-focused Twitter account. In that image, the flash units were separate rather than joined together, but the dual-lens setup is the same. It still looks odd though, almost like the upper lens is an afterthought. Before this, a set of leaked pictures allegedly showed the rear of the phone – then known as the HTC M8, with three different cutouts.
At the beginning of 2014, several cases supposedly made for the M8/One Two/One+ showed up online, complete with a cutout on the rear which could fit the holes seen in the casing above. It's by no means conclusive, as the manufacturer may have been basing the design on the leaked prototype shots.
Staying on the subject of HTC One 2014 cases, an image of a funky case showed up at the beginning of March. It's a flip-style case, with a perforated front cover which will show the time, weather, and we'd presume, notifications at all times. The tightly fitting rear cover has cutouts for the dual camera lenses, and dual-LED flash.
Video leak causes controversy
Manufacturers tend not to like leaks, unless they've orchestrated them, as evidenced by the uproar caused by the following video, which was not-so-anonymously published on YouTube. The 12-minute video gives us a look at the HTC M8, which is regarded as the codename for the One's sequel, including close-ups of the new dual-camera lens setup, the software, and the phone's overall design. It looks identical to the phone in the image above.
So why the controversy? It's thanks to HTC's Online Communications Manager Jeff Gordon, who tweeted the person responsible for the extensive leak, saying "It's going to be a bad week for you, my friend." He then added HTC knew the IMEI number of the phone, and where it came from. "We'll be in touch," added Gordon. A subsequent tweet from the leaker's account indicated the phone came from his parents, who have lost their jobs at HTC due to the leak. This hasn't been confirmed, but doesn't sound unlikely. Naturally, the video was removed, but this being the Internet, not before it was downloaded and re-uploaded. You can take a look here if you're interested.
Subsequently, and just before the phone is made official, another, even better video of the All New HTC One was leaked. The German language, 1080p video quality provided our clearest look at the new phone yet. It was quickly removed after a copyright claim was filed, but another video, this time in English, has taken its place. We've embedded it below, but there's no telling if it'll be removed in the final hours before HTC reveals the device.
From BEN Latest News: www.benlatestnews.com
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/benlatestnews
