Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, introduced the new HTC One M8, which has a metal body, today in New York. (Mark Lennihan/Associated Press)
HTC is updating its flagship HTC One smartphone by giving it a larger screen, better software and a camera that's easier to use.
The new phone will have a screen measuring 5 inches diagonally, up from 4.7 inches in last year's model. It will help software improvements designed to anticipate your needs, such as offering lunch recommendations when it's time for lunch. That will come through HTC's hub for personalized content, known as BlinkFeed. BlinkFeed itself will be more colorful and will continue to present news, social media updates and other items of interest.
Compare the HTC One M8 to other smartphones
HTC continues its philosophy of steering people away from the megapixel count in cameras, saying that more isn't necessarily better. Like the original model, the new HTC One has a 4 megapixel rear camera, which is low for high-end smartphones. Instead, HTC focuses on making the individual pixel sensors larger, so that they can capture more light and offer better shots in low-light settings. The front camera, for selfies, is improved, though — at 5 megapixels, compared with 2.1 megapixels before.
HTC New Phone
The new model has a larger screen, better software and a camera that's easier to use. (Mark Lennihan/Associated Press)
The new phone also makes it easier to use the camera's Zoe assistant, which takes several shots over a few seconds and lets you pick the best ones. It also lets you save frequently used combinations of manual settings, so that you don't miss the shot trying to set it each time.
In Canada, early Tuesday afternoon, Telus was offering the phone for $229 on a two-year contract for a Telus SharePlus plan or $700 with no contract. Both offers included an accessory package that Telus says is worth $120, with a battery bank, case and HTC Fetch phone-finding device for your keychain.
HTC said it would also be available from Rogers and Bell before it hit store shelves.
In the U.S., online orders started Tuesday, while retail stores will get them on April 10. It will cost about $200 to $250 US with a two-year service contract, or about $650 US without a contract.
The original HTC One received good reviews and was named the best smartphone of 2013 at the wireless industry's premier trade show in Barcelona, Spain, last month. But HTC has failed to translate that glowing praise into sales. According to Gartner, HTC had less than five per cent of the worldwide smartphone market in 2013.
To break through, HTC plans to emphasize the One's all-metal design. Samsung's phones typically have a plastic back panel, while Apple's iPhones use glass. HTC's design chief, Scott Croyle, said about 90 per cent of the One's back and sides will be made of metal, but the phone's manufactured in a way that makes it tough to tell where the metal ends and where the composite strips begin. Croyle calls it "zero-gap construction."
Executives acknowledge that the company made several operational mistakes in releasing last year's phone, including the fact that customers of the leading U.S. wireless carrier, Verizon Wireless, weren't able to buy it until months after its launch. This time, the phone will be available right away through all the major U.S. carriers.
© The Associated Press, 2014
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