HTC has been launching high-end smartphones successfully all through last year and has continued doing the same this year too with the One M8. The handset was announced official in India at an event in New York on Tuesday alongside a live official launch event held in Delhi.
HTC did get a good hold of the smartphone market in terms of profile with the launch of the previous generation HTC One smartphone. Especially, the aspects such as all-metal design and UltraPixel camera gained much fanfare, but the greatness was not for long. But, the One M8 seems to be unique in many aspects making us hope that the handset will become one of the best smartphones of the year. You could be wondering what is so special with the HTC One M8, read on to know.
Unibody Metallic Design
HTC has employed a similar unibody design that was featured in the yesteryear model, but this time with an all-metal design (90 percent metal). This is a breakthrough in the design as it provides an all new quality to the phone. The handset’s body is re-crafted to look stunning and be durable with the high-quality premium materials used to build it. The handset has rounded edges that provide a comfortable feel when held and there are three color variants – Amber Gold, Gunmetal Gray and Glacial Silver.
Duo Camera
HTC One M8 is the world’s first smartphone to feature the Duo Camera aspect. The handset includes Dual UltraPixel cameras at the rear with dual LED flash. The primary UltraPixel camera is coupled with a depth sensor that captures the distance between the subjects in a single frame and adds the metadata to the photo captured. Later, the users can alter the focus in the photo and also view the photo from different angles offering a 3D like effect. For better insight, read all that this duo cam can do.
Slow Motion Mode
This feature in the One M8’s camera allows users to shoot HD slow motion videos and edit the clip to slow down the action that is desired.
Photo Match
The Photo Match feature allows users to find the photos of a specific person and create an entire album with the snaps of that person.
Zoe Features in Cloud
Apart from the usual Zoe features found in the One M7, the One M8 integrates these features to the cloud service. Users can upload the Zoe Videos for everyone to see and also invite others to add their content such as photos, videos and music. This new Zoe app will be made available on the Google Play Store for download soon.
Motion Launch
HTC Sense 6.0 in the One M8 has capabilities such as Motion Launch that can detect the position and movement of the phone with the in-built motion sensors. This will allow users to interact with the handset without the necessity to even turning on the display.
Power Saving Mode
HTC has bestowed an extreme power saving mode in the One M8 that helps the phone to last about 40 percent longer than the One M7. This power saving mode will shut down all the applications and services except the basic ones. As per the company statement, the One M8 can last up to 14 days of backup allowing consumers to answer calls and receive messages even then.
Fitbit App
The HTC One M8 will help the users to stay healthy with the in-built Fitbit application. The phone can be used along with the Fitbit range of trackers for activities such as sleep tracking, smart alarm and more. Users can set fitness goals and track the achievements via BlinkFeed on the home screen. The Fitbit app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Sense 6.0
The Sense 6.0 in the all new One M8 is completely redesigned and it provides a cleaner and outstanding visual style. There are customizable color themes and an intuitive user experience. Sense 6.0 carries advanced BoomSound audio experience with rich bass tones delivering 25 percent louder sound. Also, the dual front stereo speakers provide a real high definition experience to the music enthusiasts. BlinkFeed is another aspect that is intuitive with advancements such as continuous scrolling for fluid experience of browsing. It includes a new layout that is easy to read with the ability to create custom feeds.
Availability
As per HTC, the One M8 is claimed to be made globally available in the South Asian markets in the third week of April. However, our sources suggest that the One M8 will be hitting the retail shelves in India starting from first week of May.
Key Specs
| Model | HTC One M8 |
| Display | 5.0 inch, FHD |
| Processor | 2.3 GHz/ 2.5 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 801 |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB/32 GB/64 GB, Expandable up to 128 GB |
| OS | Android 4.4.2 KitKat |
| Camera | Dual 4 MP Ultra Pixel/ 5 MP |
| Battery | 2,600 mAh |
