One week with the excellent HTC 10 and I still can’t quite work out why I would buy one

HTC’s recently launched ‘HTC 10’ smartphone is everything on paper that a huge number of smartphone buyers should want.

It’s got an all-metal body and microSD expansion, it has a great camera, and the audio performance is pretty solid too.

Add in that HTC’s worked to cut back on consumer confusion throughout the Android OS and what you have is a leaner, meaner version of HTC’s previous ‘One’ range handsets with a better camera, improved overall performance and some other worthwhile software tweak

And as I said in the initial hands-on, they’re upgrades that make a lot of sense at first glance – and now in more extended testing too.

However, after having the device for nearly a week – and despite it performing admirably in most areas – I’m still not sure who’s going to walk into a phone shop and walk out with an HTC 10.

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HTC may have a winner: HTC 10 second impressions

We don't learn much from unboxings. After all, when I unboxed the HTC 10, what could I really say about it? I hadn't used it yet. This is where second impressions come in, when there's more than first impressions, but not enough to write a full review.

The HTC 10 is an extremely impressive device. It features a completely redesigned, slimmed down Sense interface and a Super LCD5 display that you would swear is AMOLED, judging by how vibrant the colors are.

The body is similar to the previous One models. While it's still a beautiful design and it feels great to hold, this will undoubtedly hold back some, as many were skeptical of last year's One M9 due to the lack of a redesign, even before anyone got to use the handset.

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The HTC 10: 5 Things We Think We Know

HTC hasn’t had the best few years—so much so that you have to begin wondering how many more years it’s going to be before the mobile division has to fold. But for now, we’re getting a new flagship smartphone in the One line through an announcement on Tuesday.

There have been a handful of rumors and leaks regarding the new HTC One, which looks to be going by the moniker HTC 10. So anticipation of the announcement, here are the five things we think we know so far:

1. The Design

The HTC One has always been a beautiful device. The forthcoming HTC 10 doesn’t make a lot of huge changes to the look of the smartphone, but according to recent leaks, it looks like we’ll be getting a few nips and tucks on the design of it. Most notably, there are new chamfered edges around the body of it that are rather attractive. The HTC 10 is also a bit thinner before and significantly less shiny than the HTC One M9, which was often accused of resembling a kitchen appliance.

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HTC Teases Oct. 20 Smartphone Launch

HTC, the embattled Taiwan-based smartphone maker is preparing to launch a new smartphone in October.

HTC posted a "Launch" page to its website, teasing a new One smartphone. The announcement, which will be made as part of a "virtual" event rather than a standard press event, is slated for noon ET on Oct. 20.

Not surprisingly, HTC has kept its plans close to the vest, except to say the handset will run Android Marshmallow. Some recent rumors have suggested the phone will be the 5-inch HTC One A9 with midrange specs. HTC's hint, however, suggests the device—or perhaps another one that's announced in tandem with the A9—will deliver something special.

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HTC One M9 Review: A Little Bit Meh…

There was a time when HTC could do no wrong. After the launch of the HTC One M7, the company became the darling of the Android space. It made premium looking phones that gave Apple’s designers a run for their money, and while HTC wasn’t shifting units in anywhere near the same volume as Apple's iPhones, the company had developed a very solid foundation from which to build on in the coming years.

Forget the HTC One Max. That handset never happened. Up next was the HTC One M8, the all-important and infinitely trickier “second album”. HTC made no bones about sticking to the design philosophy it had adapted for the birth of its One range of phones, and most were onboard with this –– if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The CPU was updated, there were some smallish tweaks to the shape and gait of the chassis, and that was about it… but most startlingly HTC, for whatever reason, DIDN’T ditch its grossly underpowered 4MP UltraPixel technology despite a veritable firestorm of criticism. Horror of horrors.

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Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Release Date Soon for HTC Devices: Taiwanese Manufacturer Skipping Version 5.0.2

HTC is known for releasing Android updates on time or at least a few weeks after the official update rolled out. However, it seems that for Android Lollipop, the Taiwanese manufacturer will be making an exception.

According to a report by Phone Arena, HTC's current devices that are now running on Android 5.0 Lollipop will skip the 5.0.2 update, which was released a couple of months ago.

Instead, the phone maker will head straight to Android 5.1, where there will be more changes and improvements.

The Android smartphone maker will release the Android 5.1 Lollipop update together with its new Sense 7.0 UI.

Some of the devices that will support Android's latest version include the HTC One M8, HTC One M8s, HTC Desire EYE, HTC Butterfly 2, and other handsets.

Of course, the latest One M9 and the upcoming One M9 Plus will get the update as well.

For many years, HTC has been one of the top Android device makers in the market. However, after peaking in sales in 2011, it has been a continuous downfall for the Taiwanese manufacturer.

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HTC unveils a China-only One M9+ with fingerprint sensor and larger screen

HTC has unveiled a new version of its flagship HTC One M9 for the Chinese market. The HTC One M9+ looks nearly identical to the all-metal M9, but comes with a slightly larger screen and a fingerprint sensor on the lower-front bezel. Like all of Apple's fingerprint sensors and Samsung's latest offerings in the S6 and S6 Edge, the sensor works with a touch — no need to swipe — although how fast it is remains to be seen.

In addition, the One M9+ offers a 5.2-inch, 2K screen — larger and sharper than the 5-inch, 1080p display on the regular One M9. There's also a new octa-core, 2.2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 processor inside for smoother games and video playback, and HTC has spruced up the M9's 20-megapixel lens with the Duo Camera hardware first introduced in the One M8.


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HTC One M9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S6: What’s the Best Phone?

Two great smartphones are hitting store shelves in April. Samsung’s new S6 smartphone and HTC’s new One M9 phone have both gotten solid reviews. For Android fans, it can be tough to decide which phone is worthy of their hard-earned cash.

Should you buy the HTC One M9 or the Samsung Galaxy S6? That depends on who you are, and what you’re looking for in a smartphone. We’ve compared these phones across four key areas: price, features, battery life, and camera quality. We’ll also see how these phones compare across key specs like display, processor, and RAM. Read on to see how these two flagship smartphones stack up against each other.

Still not sure whether the S6 or S6 Edge is better? Check out our comparison post on the S6 vs. S6 Edge.

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HTC's One E9+ is its latest phablet with a stunning screen

Just like that, HTC has quietly -- well, maybe unintentionally -- unveiled its latest phablet on its China website. With some minor differences, the One E9+ is pretty much what we saw on the certification database earlier this month. The biggest selling point of this half metal, half plastic device is perhaps its 5.5-inch Quad HD (534 ppi) display, making it the sharpest screen ever used on an HTC phone. Oddly, though, the website's spec sheet states a 1080p resolution, which we'll assume is actually meant for a lesser E9. Likewise with the 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB, as well as the 13-megapixel main camera instead of the 20-megapixel version mentioned on the product page.

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HTC One M9 review

There are few more distinctive Android phones on the market than the HTC One line. The company that experimented with unibody metal when most smartphones were plastic, HTC’s critical acclaim is increasingly at odds with its commercial success — or lack thereof. They barely squeaked a profit last quarter, though it was the first time it spilled black ink in over a year, so with the One M9 it hopes to continue that ambling turnaround with a phone that is both a critical and commercial hit.


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HTC executive hints that the HTC One (M7) might get Android 5.1 after all

On Thursday, a tweet from HTC VP of Product Management Mo Versi broke the hearts of countless HTC One (M7) owners when he said that the phone would not be updated to Android 5.1 (except for the Google Play edition of the handset). After all, HTC's guarantee covers two years of updates after a device is launched, and the former flagship had already been on a magical journey from Android 4.1.2 to Android 5.0 in that time span.

But Friday night brought a new tweet from the executive. In this message, Versi said that he had heard all of the comments from One (M7) owners who own a carrier branded model of the device. He noted that most of the bug fixes to repair issues caused by the Android 5.0 update are already baked inside HTC's current software. He also added that he understands the concerns of One (M7) owners, and closed by giving them a ray of hope offered by two words, "Stay Tuned."

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HTC’s ‘Uh-Oh’ Protection is desperate — and awesome

HTC announced the One M9 several weeks ago, and the response has been tepid from most corners of the Internet. Samsung is getting much more attention for the big changes it’s making to the Galaxy S6 this year. HTC needed an angle to get people excited about the M9 again, and now it might have one: HTC Uh-Oh Protection will offer one free phone replacement within the first year, no questions asked. Is it a little desperate? Maybe, but it’s also potentially awesome if you’ve got a bad case of butter fingers.

Let’s imagine you have a Samsung Galaxy S6 and break the screen. You just made a multi-hundred dollar mistake, unless you’re paying monthly for phone insurance (which has its own drawbacks). With the One M9, you can give HTC support a ring, and a new phone will be dispatched with overnight shipping to replace your busted one. You send the old one back after you get it. This requires a $299 hold on your credit card, but you don’t have to go without a phone.

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The HTC One M9 finally has a release date – but not in the U.S.

The HTC One M9 is by far one of the best Android phones of the year, even if HTC may have lost the battle with Samsung at MWC 2015, at least when it comes to the attention received by their latest mobile devices during the show. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 models, and especially the S6 edge, surprised the audience, being completely new designs, while the HTC One M9 is more of a refinement of last year’s top HTC phone.

Even so, the HTC One M9 will certainly impress many potential buyers, and the phone already has a release date and pricing details for Taiwan. More interestingly, ePrice reports the phone will be available in two distinct versions, when it comes to storage.

According to the Taiwanese site, HTC has set a release date for both a 32GB version (the one that was announced in Barcelona, Spain) and a 64GB model. Both devices will start selling on March 16th, as confirmed by HTC North Asia general manager Dong Junliang, with prices set at 21,900 TWD (or $693) and 23,900 TWD (or $756), respectively.

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HTC releases two One M9 teaser videos

As you might start to expect after officially announcing their latest flagship phone at MWC this week,HTC has released a couple teaser videos for the HTC One M9. One of which is narrated by the man behind the Iron Man mask himself, Robert Downey Jr.

Both videos are, as mentioned, simply teasers. The first gives a few close ups, then simply shows the new 5-inch phone floating in space. Aside from this being an official video from HTC, it feels an awful lot like the fan renders of the One M9 we saw a little while back. Just the phone without many unnecessary embellishments.

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The HTC One M9 Looks And Sounds Utterly STUNNING

It's that time of year again where some of the biggest names in the Android mobile space push their latest flagship handset to the masses. Expect big things in the coming weeks. While Samsung is thought to be prepping at least one Galaxy S6 and Sony has a new Xperia Z4 in the pipeline, HTC has its own One brand due for the annual refresh.

The HTC One M9, as it is being called in rumours, is one of the most hotly anticipated devices at the moment - there's a loyal fanbase of users who love everything about the brand, and that's in no small part because it champions premium materials and luxurious design. It also has a few tricks that other manufacturers are yet to match - things like high-end, front-facing stereo speakers.

As we move through Q1 2015 we’re starting to see just how well technology’s biggest companies performed financially in the all important Q4 period of 2014. Apple smashed it. Big time. Lenovo showed solid growth and some impressive sales figures for Moto handsets and Samsung, while still a very big deal, showed it hadn’t stopped the rot just yet. 

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See the HTC One (M9) from all angles in these tasty leaked photos

Some sneaky snapshots of HTC’s soon-to-be-announced One M9 have leaked online, showing the upcoming device in its entirety ahead of its official MWC launch, and it looks like HTC hasn't taken any risks with design.

The photos don't give away much about the One M9's tech, but it does give us a clear view of the flagship device's aesthetics and the minimal tweakage that HTC has made compared to the One M8's design.

So it looks like the 5-inch form factor of the M8 is still in favour, although it seems that HTC has given a little more attention to ergonomics, with some love shown to people with smaller hands.

The power button - which was formerly on the top of the device - has been moved around on to the side, while the volume rocker has been moved down a touch too, to allow folks who don’t have hands like Gordon Banks to access it much more easily.

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HTC One M9 Leaks Again Ahead of Release Date

With the HTC One M9 launch date officially confirmed for March 1st by HTC themselves, we’re now starting to see a flood of leaks and images emerge. And while the past few weeks have been filled with different reports, todayanother set of photos have leaked ahead of the HTC One M9 release date.

The first HTC One M9 rumors started to arrive in September last year with some initial concept renders, but with the launch date coming soon the leaksters are out in full force. HTC’s One M8 was heavily rumored in early 2014 before being announced and released at the end of March, and the same slew of leaks is happening with the M9.

Lately we’ve seen multiple reports of the new HTC One M9, codenamed “HTC Hima”, as well as some reports of a new HTC One Max in the works for later this year. Today though, we’re getting our clearest look at the back of the device, which confirms a few details that were previously left unanswered for potential buyers waiting for this smartphone to launch.

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HTC One (M7, M8) Google Play Edition Receiving Android 5.0.1 Lollipop Update

HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 GPE (Google Play Edition) smartphones are receiving the latest Android 5.0.1 Lollipop firmware update, following the report of Samsung’s rollout of Android 5.0.1 update to its Galaxy S5 devices.

As of now, Android Lollipop’s market share is less than 0.1 percent, based on all Android devices that connected to Google Play services. The scenario might change soon, as many smartphone-makers began to roll out the new update aggressively.

The new firmware build is reported as LRX22C, which is based on Android 5.0.1, and that means, HTC will be rolling out Android 5.0.1 updates to every supported handset by skipping the original Android 5.0 version of the firmware. This firmware update packed in a 511MB package and available via OTA. In order to update your smartphones to the latest version of the software, your device need to have at least Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

HTC has also announced that the carrier version (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile) of HTC One M7 and M8 will be getting the same Android 5.0.1 update by February 2015. That means, HTC will start rolling out the new firmware update to these devices in January itself.

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iPhone 6 rivals by Samsung, LG, HTC suffering delays in Qualcomm's 64-bit Snapdragon answer to Apple's A8

Qualcomm's upcoming 64-bit Snapdragon chips designed to power new high end Android flagship phones including the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4 and HTC One M9 are reportedly running into new issues that threaten to further delay any real competition to Apple's iPhone 6 juggernaut.

Snapdragon


A report by Business Korea claimed that Qualcomm's 64-bit Snapdragon 810 is facing new "hard-to-solve" problems including overheating, RAM controller issues and "an error in the driver of the Adreno 430 GPU."

The site attributed the "unexpected hurdles" to an unnamed industry source. Samsung, LG, HTC and most other leading Android licensees currently use Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips to power most of their smartphones, so any further delays by Qualcomm can only exacerbate the embarrassing desperation Apple's rivals are feeling as A8-powered iPhone 6 models set new sales records and grab additional market share globally.

Samsung, LG target Qualcomm's Snapdragon with Exynos, Nuclun


Samsung has its own Exynos Application Processor family, which it uses in tablets and in some smartphones, but remains largely dependent upon Qualcomm's Snapdragon and the chip's proprietary integrated baseband modem for its mainstream smartphone offerings in most markets.

LG has similarly developed its own internal Nuclun Application Processor to reduce its dependance upon Qualcomm, but both LG and Samsung have run into production and performance problems in developing their own chips, in addition to remaining dependent on Qualcomm for compatibility with mobile networks.

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First HTC One M9 rumors suggest 'ultrapixels' get the boot

The first alleged details for the HTC One M8 successor may already be spilling online. And, spoiler alert, the handset is shaping up to be bigger and faster than today's flagship model.

According to information obtained by Chinese site MyDrivers, the so-called HTC One M9 could make its debut at Mobile World Congress in March 2015. As for what's in store for the next-gen handset, we may be looking at a 5.5-inch display with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution, and storage capacities of 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.

Reportedly powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor with 3GB RAM, the M9 may also pack a 3,500mAh battery. Like its predecessor, the handset could employ dual front-facing speakers, possibly with Bose technology.

In terms of cameras, it appears that HTC may be ready to pull the plug on ultrapixels, its proprietary marketing name for describing its camera tech. Instead, the One M9 is said to feature a 16-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization. We might have seen this coming, as most HTC smartphones released in wake of the M8 offered megapixels, not ultrapixels.

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