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HTC reaches past Asia, brings the tweaked One M9+ to Europe
Remember when HTC released a shiny new flagship, and then kinda-sorta outdid itself by releasing a much cooler version just a month later? At the time, CEO Cher Wang said the company had no plans to bring that very updated device -- the One M9+ -- to European or North American shores, but that's officially no longer the case. HTC representatives just confirmed that the flagship will hit Europe, though at time of writing, we haven't heard exactly which markets will get their metaphorical hands on the thing. Expect that to change really shortly.
Chris Velazco07.16.2015
HTC One M9 preview: A battle between polish and progress
It looks the same. That's the impression you'd probably get looking at the HTC One M9 for the first time. I felt that way too, at first. Thing is, HTC knows it's got a good thing going with its high-end One design and just didn't feel like a full-on revolution was necessary in 2015... maybe to the consternation of some of its activist fans. So what's new, if not the M9's aesthetic? Quite a bit, really, and not all of it great.
Chris Velazco03.01.2015
IRL: Taking HTC's One M8 for a test drive
The original HTC One was one of my favorite smartphones from 2013, but it was easy to see why you'd pass it up in favor of an archrival like Samsung's Galaxy S4 -- it just didn't have the battery life, camera quality or expansion to keep up. Fast-forward to 2014 and it's a different story. Most of those headache-inducing flaws have been fixed in the new One; indeed, my colleague Brad Molen suggested it was an all-around better device. But is that enough to avoid a twinge of buyer's remorse, especially with the Galaxy S5 and Sony's Xperia Z2 upping the ante? I spent a few weeks with the new One to find out whether I'd still be pining for features from those other devices.
Jon Fingas07.26.2014
There can't be only one: Technology's singular obsession
Last week, Google announced the aptly named Android One, a plan to unite the myriad budget devices running its mobile operating system. But Sundar Pichai and crew aren't alone in banking on the singular power of one. No, Google's One is just one of many in the industry's recent past. It turns out, everyone wants to be the one. [Image: Getty]
Christopher Trout07.05.2014
How would you change the HTC One (M7)?
Wouldn't it have been great if we'd covered last year's HTC One just before the replacement arrived? Clearly. Since the calendar didn't work out like that, however, let's instead take this moment to commence a post-mortem on one of the most critically acclaimed handsets of 2013. Garnering a 92 point Engadget store, a fantastic low-light camera and that amazing body, let's face it -- everyone was envious of this hardware. But has your experience been as flawless as that of our reviewer? Join the forums and share your feelings on the subject.
Daniel Cooper06.01.2014
HTC hires marketing exec who led Samsung to smartphone dominance
It's no secret, HTC has an image problem. Despite consistently creating some of our favorite phones, it's failed to reach the heights of popularity of manufacturers like Samsung. That could soon change. In what is almost certainly not a coincidence, HTC has hired Samsung's former Chief Marketing Officer, Paul Golden. The Verge confirmed the rumor, first picked up by Bloomberg, earlier this afternoon. Golden, who "created and launched the highly successful Galaxy brand for Samsung," according to his LinkedIn profile, was reportedly hired on as a consultant to Chairwoman Cher Wang.
Christopher Trout04.18.2014
The HTC One M8 is an Android phone made for iPhone lovers
Last week, I upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S4 to the new HTC One (M8), and I can confidently say that if Apple's iPhone was somehow wiped from the face of the earth tomorrow, the new HTC One would be the next best thing. It is, in short, what I imagine Apple would build if it built Android phones. I can feel your confusion already; "What the hell is he talking about? Isn't this an Apple site?" you're wondering. And that's fair, so let me explain. As an Apple devotee, I keep my primary phone line on whatever the latest, greatest iPhone model happens to be. But I have a second phone line -- a phone line I keep secret from my Apple brethren; it's a phone number nobody knows and on that line I use an Android phone. I don't upgrade it with the same regularity with which I update my iPhone, but every 18 months or so I use the discounted upgrade option and grab whichever Android handset is the new hotness. I keep an Android phone around simply because I like to have a handle on the non-Apple mobile scene, and it's a great way to compare Apple's upgrades with the existing crop of competing devices. I've never been particularly impressed with the Android hardware I've picked up in the past. I find the vast majority of Android phones feel like toys, with plastic casing and a too-light hand feel, not to mention largely horrendous battery life. I'm an Apple fan and, to me, the iPhone has long been the untouchable pinnacle of smartphone design. So with that in mind, here's how the new HTC One stacks up. Design Easily the biggest selling point for anyone who loves the iPhone 5/5s is the HTC One's design. Symmetrical, solid, and weighty, it's almost as though HTC was attempting to guess what the iPhone 6 would look like. The HTC One ignores many Android trends and follows Apple's lead with things like a non-swappable battery. The tradeoff is a much more hearty hand feel with no bendy back cover or creaky, twistable frame that you'll find on many of its Android counterparts. For as much as Samsung tends to be "inspired" by Apple, HTC has managed to nail the iPhone's build quality far better than any Galaxy phone ever has. Much like Apple's always impressive iPhone build montages, HTC likes to brag about what it calls the "zero gap" design of the HTC One, and it's an accomplishment worthy of the seemingly manufactured hype. The three-panel casing, which was carried over from the previous year's model, does feel a bit "lifted" from Apple's iPhone 5 design manual, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time the iPhone has set the tone for future smartphones. The screen measures 5 inches, making it a full inch larger than the iPhone 5/5s. Switching between the two devices feels strange at times, and the screen on the One might be even a little too big for my mitts. If the rumors of a 4.7 inch iPhone are true, that might be a more ideal size, but the One's display is still gorgeous and useable with one hand. Verdict: It's the first Android phone I've ever held that I could mistake for an Apple product. That's the biggest compliment I could ever give. Camera Much like Apple, HTC hasn't fallen victim to the "cram all the megapixels" movement with the One's camera. Instead, the phone uses what HTC calls "UltraPixels" which is just a fancy word for a camera that sacrifices a huge number of megapixels in favor of low light capabilities. The iPhone 5s regularly takes flak for not having mind-blowing camera specs, only to shame the competition in blind photo "taste tests," and that's the lead that HTC is following. The rear camera actually features two lenses, allowing for Lytro-like depth data to be included in the photo. After a photo is taken you can adjust the focus and even view a faux 3D rendering of the picture. It's pretty impressive and it works fairly well. It's definitely a different approach and while the rest of the smartphone world is trying to turn their devices into DSLRs, HTC and Apple have seemingly declared that they'd rather try to add new functionality on top of already impressive photos. Verdict: The HTC One's new camera features are offbeat and unique, and while I'd still take the iPhone 5s camera -- and its similarly unique slow-motion video capabilities -- if I were forced to choose, the One isn't far behind. Music Apple loves music. HTC loves music. Apple most recently exhibited its love of music by reinventing the modern earbud. HTC most recently exhibited its love of music by turning the new HTC One into a portable boom box. Like the previous year's model, the One includes two "BoomSound" stereo speakers on its face. This year's hardware is improved from the previous year with heartier construction, and it definitely shows. The One is loud -- and not just loud; it actually sounds really great when cranked all the way up. While you might need to toss your iPhone in a ceramic mug to amplify your tunes, you could carry the One along a busy city street and still hear your music without earbuds. Verdict: This is one thing about the One that I don't think Apple would ever attempt with an iPhone, but it's a well executed feature that many have tried and failed at, making it feel like an accomplishment you'd see from Cupertino. OS Android is still Android, and while you can make it look a bit more like iOS through various launchers and visual tweaks, Apple's mobile OS is still untouchable in my opinion. However, HTC's own skin -- called HTC Sense -- is superior to similar efforts from Samsung and Sony. HTC Sense 6.0 comes preinstalled on the new HTC One, and along with the social news feed feature called BlinkFeed, it emphasizes new touch functions that would feel right at home on an iOS device. For example, with the absence of a physical button on the front the phone, you can wake the device by simply tapping on the screen twice. You can launch specific apps by swiping in a specific direct on the lock screen and even activate the voice command system without having to unlock the phone, much like Siri. Verdict: If you don't like Android, the version that comes with the new One isn't going to change your mind, but HTC's own functionality tweaks make things much more streamlined and intuitive, which iPhone users would feel right at home with. Overall I love my iPhone, and unless Apple seriously stumbled on a new version of its iconic smartphone, there's no way I'd change teams. With that being said, the new HTC One is as close to an iPhone in fit, finish, and functionality as I've ever seen from an Android device. The iPhone is still the pinnacle, but HTC's latest effort is scaling the peak.
Mike Wehner04.14.2014
Feedback Loop: Best Android phone, cameras in tablets, finding good deals and more!
Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There's so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week. Happy Saturday! Did you survive April Fools' Day? We did and are here to bring you another edition of Feedback Loop. This week, we debated the merits of the Samsung Galaxy S5 versus the new HTC One, asked if cameras in tablets are a good idea, talked about how to find the best gadget deals online, sought advice on the best everyday cameras and wondered what's up with these crazy luxury feature phones. Head on past the break and join the conversation in the Engadget forums.
Dave Schumaker04.05.2014
Weekends with Engadget: the future of Oculus Rift, new HTC One review and more!
Welcome to Weekends with Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines from the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. For even more news, subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
Andy Bowen03.30.2014
BlinkFeed coming to non-HTC Android devices 'soon'
It was easy to miss in the fine print of yesterday's HTC One press release, but it appears that BlinkFeed will be coming to the Play Store for non-HTC devices. We knew that a number of Sense apps were being broken free of their firmware chains, in particular Zoe, but it wasn't clear just how fare the company was going to take that initiative. Now we know that the company plans to offer its own branded experience to any Android user. And it's even putting BlinkFeed, which is arguably the centerpiece of Sense, up in the app store for use on devices running TouchWiz or even vanilla Android. For now it's only listed as being compatible with the M8, but press materials state that: Following its popularity with HTC users, HTC will now make HTC BlinkFeed available to other Android devices, launching on the Google Play store soon. While we've never been huge fans of companies messing with the pure Android experience around here, we're certainly in favor of more consumer options. With the Google Now Launcher in the app store and BlinkFeed coming soon it might not be long before you can buy whatever high-end handset your little heart desires then slap the launcher of your choice on top of it -- be it HTC, Google, Samsung or Sony.
Terrence O'Brien03.26.2014
Daily Roundup: new HTC One review, Facebook acquires Oculus VR and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Andy Bowen03.25.2014
HTC pushing Sense 6.0 to the original One, One mini and One max soon
We don't have a specific date, but HTC's latest Sense skin -- which the company insists on calling Sixth Sense -- will be coming to the company's older models sometime this spring. Last year's One, the One mini and One max will all be getting updated with Sense 6.0 in the coming months. While it's not a complete surprise, it's nice to know that HTC isn't leaving its customers out in the cold. It's all part of the company's HTC Advantage program, which guarantees two years of software updates and support. That's longer than even Google supports its Nexus phone. Hopefully we'll get specific launch dates sooner, rather than later.
Terrence O'Brien03.25.2014HTC opens up BlinkFeed, allows apps like Foursquare and Fitbit to push data to your homescreen
Love it or hate it, Sense is growing up. BlinkFeed, the beating tiled heart of the HTC experience is now being opened up to developers through an SDK. That means that third parties will be able to push information to the stream of data that makes up your feed. For example, Fitbit will be able to keep you abreast of how many steps you've taken without you having to go into the app. Oh, and the Fitbit app does harvest movement data from the phone's internal sensors, just like it does on the iPhone 5S, so you don't really need that separate band. HTC announced one other launch partner for the BlinkFeed SDK -- Foursquare. The location-based social network will pop up suggestions for lunch spots while you're out and about. Of course, the company will have to convince other big names to hop on the bandwagon if BlinkFeed is going to really take off.
Terrence O'Brien03.25.2014
HTC's new One smartphone to go on sale 'just minutes after it is officially announced'
At this point, we have a pretty clear idea of what HTC's upcoming flagship smartphone will look like. Everything from its unique duo rear camera, to its refreshed version of Sense to its familiar One-like aluminum body has been leaked in the lead up to the company's March 25th event. And now, thanks to the UK retailer Carphone Warehouse jumping the gun, we know the handset, dubbed the "new HTC One (M8)," will be available to purchase "just minutes after it is officially announced" at six locations in London. How's that for spoiling the surprise? It's clear from this release that HTC intends to waste no time directing attention from its headline-dominating launch into direct retail sales. Whether or not that gamble pays off is another matter. But we'll know soon enough if that market opportunism can successfully channel fanboy enthusiasm into dollars and pounds. [Image credit: TD Beta] Update: It seems that O2 may not have the HTC One on store shelves until the first week of April, so that "same day" availability we've been hearing about may only apply to select carriers or resellers.
Joseph Volpe03.18.2014
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: winter 2014 edition
You don't need to cast bones or read entrails to know that smartphones arrive in predictable cycles. February, home of Mobile World Congress, is likely to see the launch of new handsets from heavy hitters like HTC, Samsung and LG. Those new flagships will rule the mobile hill until the fall, when Apple and Google are likely to wheel out next-gen devices of their own. Sony, meanwhile, recently launched its latest handset, the Z1 Compact, which reverses the "bigger is better" trend to great effect. There may have only been one top-tier phone launching in January, but the phone industry has hardly been hibernating this winter. Two years after Google bought Motorola for $12.5 billion, it sold the rejuvenated handset maker to Lenovo. AT&T, meanwhile, has rejigged its mobile share plans to shrink your monthly data bill; T-Mobile will now pay you to leave your carrier; and we're inching ever closer to a Sprint/T-Mobile merger, the FCC permitting. If you're already on the hunt for a new smartphone, or your deal's only for a few more months left and you like to be prepared, this is your guide to the best handsets on the market.
Daniel Cooper02.22.2014
HTC One will get KitKat certification in the US next week
Eighty-four days. That's how long it's been since HTC announced its intent to bring Android 4.4 KitKat to all North American versions of the One within 90 days. With just six days left to go on the countdown, HTC just tweeted on its US account that the final software has finally entered the hallowed carrier labs for testing and will be certified (and, we hope, rolled out) sometime next week. Of course, the process is now essentially under the control of individual mobile operators, so let's hope that they don't make liars out of HTC -- we've had Wednesday circled on our Sense calendars for quite some time now.
Brad Molen01.23.2014
Daily Roundup: Google's smart contact lens, President Obama on the NSA and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Andy Bowen01.17.2014
Visualized: a closer look at an HTC One prototype
Shortly before a flagship smartphone is announced to the general public, companies like HTC will often send a prototype version of the upcoming product to tight-knit partners and developers. We got an exclusive close look at one such prototype of the M7 -- the codename for the HTC One -- which as you can see in the above image and gallery below, looks very little like the final version. That doesn't mean the plastic casing shouldn't look oddly familiar to you; this particular device was leaked in the latter half of last January. But this goes to show the importance companies like HTC place on secrecy -- the more hands that are in the pot, the more likely it is that leaks will pop up. In this way, HTC was very successful at keeping the final product away from prying eyes (well, aside from a few accurate renders, that is). Upon taking a look at the once-top-secret device, we noticed a couple things that especially stood out to us. First, we peered into a completely empty void where a camera should have been; despite the fact that the chassis left a spot open for the rear camera module, none was to be found. If we were to guess, we imagine the UltraPixel setup simply wasn't ready by the time this prototype was made, so the company shipped it without one. Additionally, just as the leaked images show, there are three icons for capacitive buttons, even though there are only two on the final version. The prototype threw in an icon for recent apps, but interestingly enough, it's not a functional button whatsoever. Perhaps HTC had been toying with the idea of keeping a three-button setup instead of the two-button layout it finally settled on. We've included a small gallery of images below so you can take a closer look at the phone that many originally thought would become the HTC One. Frankly, we're pretty happy about which version HTC eventually used, but it's still fun to take a look behind the scenes. And think about this: it's quite possible that right now -- at this very moment -- those same partners are playing with the next HTC flagship's prototype in much the same way as they did with this one.
Brad Molen01.14.2014
Champagne Gold HTC One pops off in Vegas, baby
We're here at CES, and what should we spy but HTC's "Champagne Gold" version of its flagship. Unlike the edition crafted for the MOBO awards, this one ditches the 18-carat shell in favor of a finish that, up close and personal, is actually a little classier than the real thing. We've taken some snaps of the handset just because we know that you're curious to see it in the real, but we should warn you of a couple of downsides. First up, it's not coming to the US, at least not in its current form, and secondly, with the HTC One coming up to its first birthday, it's not likely to be favorite son for too much longer, you know? Dana Wollman contributed to this report.
Daniel Cooper01.07.2014
Dual-SIM HTC One with expandable storage comes to the UK
Just days after it unveiled a second gold One, HTC is releasing another variant of its Android flagship in an attempt to boost sales in the UK. Today, the company announced the availability of the HTC One Dual SIM, which you may already know as HTC One 802w. Just like it's Chinese counterpart, the device comes with a removable back for access to dual SIM slots and, more importantly, a microSD slot. That means you can switch between SIMs to receive calls and also fall back on up to 64GB of external storage, should you max-out the One's 32GB of internal storage. The dual-SIM functionality does come at a price, however, as the latest One variant does not support LTE -- otherwise the specs remain unchanged. If you can overlook that, the One Dual SIM is up for pre-order on HTC's official store for £495 ($809), with it likely to head to a "number of networks and retailers" in the near future.
Matt Brian11.28.2013