We haven't heard much about a new HTC flagship for a while, but last time we did hear a few things, several months ago, there was so much varying and contradictory information it became really quite confusing. There was the HTC One M10, the HTC O2, and the HTC Perfume, amongst others, all being pegged as the next big kahuna, and then it all went quiet.
Well, this is interesting! According to Android Headlines, the HTC One M10 won’t actually be called the HTC One M10. No. Apparently the phone will be called something else entirely, but still retain the “HTC One” part. Confused? Yep, we are too.
Perhaps HTC is moving away from numbers and into something more, err… noun-like? The HTC One Phone, for instance, could walk although I admit it is a tad dull and predictable. Either way, whatever HTC has up its sleeve you can bet your ass it will surface at some point during the next few weeks or so.
With respects to launch and release dates, HTC is said to be giving MWC a wide berth. Probably a wise move too; Samsung and LG are both announcing stuff there and the G5 and Galaxy S7 carry a lot more weight than HTC’s One brand these days. Word on the street suggests HTC will announce the HTC One “Something” on April 11, a release date will likely follow more or less right away.
How HTC will develop on from last year’s flagship remains to be seen. A complete rethink re: design would be nice, though, as the company has pretty much recycled the same chassis for around three years on the trot. We know HTC can do very good design when it puts its mind to it — the One was awesome, as was the One X.
Personally, I’d like to see the company come out, guns blazing with something completely left field. The original HTC One caused a HUGE stir when it was launched, and for good reason too: it look sublime, besting everything else in the space. HTC needs to do this again.
Hardware and specs are easy, anyone can spec-up a handset with the latest and greatest gizmos, but great design is hard. And in the Android space, if we’re honest, this is one of the biggest ways in which a manufacturer can separate itself from the pack.
The rumour source also claims we're looking at a metal build (not a surprise) with a fingerprint scanner, IP78 water and dust proofing (finally!), a 23MP camera and a 3,000mAh battery. If all this is true it does suggest HTC has listened to many reviews and criticisms of its previous models.
We're also looking at different processor models for different regions. In Europe, the US, and the UK, it'll be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip, while Asian distribution will see a MediaTek setup.
According to @evleaks Tweeting on January 26, the HTC One M10 will be a lot like the HTC One A9, or at least, that's what is insinuated by his comments that fans of the A9 will "love the M10". No further detail is given, but it implies that some features will be shared between the two. Some commenters have speculated this could mean a streamlined, low impact Sense UI build, and we think it may have implications for the exterior design and aesthetic too.
Writing on VB, @evleaks added to his tweet by detailing specific details about the HTC One M10. But some of it directly contradicts IT Source’s claims, such as Blass’ statement about the M10’s camera which will apparently be a 12MP PureView setup and not a 23MP one, as previously assumed.
Also — and this is a big one — HTC’s BoomSound speakers will not be making an appearance on the M10. The reasoning behind this is unclear, but it is likely a design trade-off. Inside, you’ll fine a Snapdragon 820 CPU, 4GB of RAM and microSD-support as standard.
The HTC One M10 will also feature a Home button AND a fingerprint scanner, though it is currently unclear where the fingerprint scanner will reside. After Google’s success with the Nexus 6P, though, I personally think we’ll start seeing A LOT more Android handsets with fingerprint scanners on the back on them.
Personally, I LOVED the way the A9 looked. I get the iPhone comparisons, but I think it did enough to stand on its own two feet as well as show that HTC can still build very attractive looking handsets.
A 3D render has been created showing what the HTC One M10 will probably look like, based on live photo images that leaked earlier this month via @evleaks.
The 3D render and video comes via Techconfigurations. The design is a little disappointing as it looks rather a lot like an older iPhone model and seems to lack BoomSound stereo speakers, but that's not Techconfigurations fault as it's a faithful adaptation of the above leaked photo. Nope, seems HTC has decided to go for something VERY different in its design and that's what we're seeing here. Can't say we like it that much, but perhaps it was necessary to include waterproofing? What do you lot think?
Another day another render of the HTC One M10, although these ones are looking considerably more like the official press variety, at least in presentation style if not in actual origin. These renders popped up on the XDA Developers forum and were mocked up by user hamdir in a bid to show how the One M10 takes style cues from both the M9 and A9 handsets.
Source: Know Your Mobile
