The original HTC One (M7) has reached its 2nd anniversary since its release, and that means many owners are probably looking for a replacement. This could be the new HTC One M9, announced earlier this month and reaching most carriers. April 10. Now that everything is official, we compare the new HTC One M9 with the original for those looking for an upgrade.
As we all know, all the leaks and rumors about the all-new HTC One M9 were pretty true. It’s extremely similar to last year’s HTC One M8, and it’s also somewhat similar to the original, despite a larger screen and tons of other improvements across the board. Many make it a worthy successor over the original and even last year’s model.
In 2013 the first and original HTC One arrived, focusing on a clean design and better build, debuting dual front-facing speakers, and being the first truly impressive HTC phone aimed at breaking the competition in years. The phone didn’t become an instant hit, but its design has won many awards and inspired many other great phones, as well as pushing Samsung and others to use higher quality materials in their Android devices. Read on to see what’s new and whether the new M9 is worth the upgrade.
HTC’s original One (M7) was announced in February of 2013 and hit multiple carrier shelves in March, making it two years old and old in the tooth. This also means buyers who got it on contract are eligible for an upgrade, and a brand new HTC One M9 will hit the shelves in a notable few days. Here’s how they differ and what you need to know.
Now that we know everything about the new HTC One M9 and that the release date has been set for April 10 by most carriers, buyers are probably considering their options. On that note, the Galaxy S6 hits shelves this week as well. It also has a lot to offer, but lacks a micro SD slot like the HTC One M9 that many owners enjoy and use. This is one of the many reasons why it’s such a great phone, and there are additional details below.
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HTC’s first “One” smartphone was launched in February 2013 with a beautiful 4.7-inch HD display and some impressive specs. The display was similar to its rivals, and the front speakers made it a great standout purchase. However, those who want something a little better and bigger will want to see the new One M9.
HTC has always offered some of the best and most stunning displays on its devices, and while the new HTC One M9 doesn’t feature a massive Quad-HD display, it still packs a respectable 5-inch 1080p HD display. They have great colors and go the extra mile to have great viewing angles, crisp text and an easy-to-view display even outdoors. It’s not as big as the G3 or Note 4, but it’s still bigger and will be a noticeable increase for what came from the original.
Switching from a 4.7-inch HTC One (M7) to one like the Note 4 or Nexus 6 might be huge, so for those looking for a small but noticeable boost, the 5-inch HTC One M9 could be the perfect smartphone here. but for those who want an even bigger screen, we also hear that the HTC One M9 Plus may come with a 5.5-inch display this year.
All said and done, the screen will be larger and higher resolution than the original. This is something many buyers will like if they opt for the first HTC One. Still, the Galaxy S6 has a 5.1-inch Quad-HD display, so that’s another possibility and something HTC will be fighting over throughout 2015.
Design
The design remains mostly unchanged. It was an award-winning phone, the HTC One M8 has won even more awards, so HTC has done the same this year. And while that’s great, it’s disappointing as many want it and expect something new and refreshing. It was a safe path and a path that could haunt them. However, the new HTC One M9 has more rounded edges and is easier to hold, a more matte finish that is less slippery, easier to hold without fear of falling, and not a fingerprint magnet.
At the same time, they’ve increased everything under the hood over last year, but made the device even smaller. So, if you skipped the One M8, the new HTC One M9 has a lot more to offer than your old One (M7) and isn’t much bigger physically, but there are tons of improvements across the board.
They’ve upgraded the camera and added a new two-tone finish to the all-metal unibody frame. The silver and gold look stunning, and fans of the original HTC One will love the new One M9.
Camera
The new HTC One M9 focuses mainly on photography, and that’s on both the front and back. Last year the HTC One M8 had two cameras on the back, but they weren’t that great. Going back to the original HTC One, we only had a single 4 Ultrapixel camera. This has been our (and our readers’) biggest complaint about the HTC One series, so if that’s an issue for you, know that the new HTC One M9 is better, but certainly not the best. For reviews on the camera, see our review above.
This year HTC introduced a new 20.7-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash, bringing this 4-Ultrapixel camera to the front for selfies. That means a great camera experience with all the HTC Eye software they’ve released this year. This new phone will take excellent photos if the conditions are right and will definitely be an improvement over the original. However, if you never enjoy the photos on your HTC device, others from Samsung or LG could potentially be better.
The camera on the HTC One (M7) and One M8 was one of the biggest complaints many device owners have, and it’s finally fixed with the new HTC One M9. If you want a great camera experience, the One M9 somehow provides it.
Features
When the HTC One was announced and released in 2013, it had some of the best features of any device. While specs aren’t everything, buyers want to know what’s available and whether the latest device is worth an upgrade. Since the phone is two years old, the new One M9 is definitely a worthy successor and has tons of horsepower to run the latest games, apps and Android 5.0 Lollipop version. For those interested, here are the raw numbers.
As you can see from the raw numbers outlined above, the new HTC One M9 will be a huge boost across the board, something that all original HTC One owners can get behind. The screen is bigger, the camera is much better, the front camera will be better than the original rear camera and it has more than double the power with 8 core processor. In fact, it’s a power-efficient 2.0GHz quad-core for heavy-duty tasks and a 1.2GHz quad-core for lighter tasks to keep battery life in check.
Next, another complaint was battery life. HTC One M9 has a huge battery of 2,860 mAh and is powered by Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology. It charges over 60% faster than the original HTC One, specifically between 10-50%. That means you’ll rarely need to find a charger in a typical workday, and if you do, it will charge extremely quickly and you’ll be ready to go in 15-30 minutes.
Again, numbers aren’t everything, but with all that and the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop, the HTC One M9 should be a great phone and worth an upgrade if you still have the original HTC One. Just know that it will be fast, smooth, stable and running the latest and greatest apps and games. An effortless upgrade for HTC fans.
Software
The HTC One (M7) runs Android 4.4 and although it will eventually get the new Android 5.0 Lollipop update, it won’t get some of the best features. These include double-tap to wake up the screen, access to all new camera technology, and the new HTC Theme system, illustrated by Sense 7.0 on the new One M9.
HTC One M9 runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop which was announced and released in October. HTC One will eventually see Android 5.0 and some Google Play Edition owners already have it, but it probably won’t get the Sense 7 update and if it does, don’t expect all features to be compatible.
We can expect updates for the original HTC One M8 to arrive quickly, but we can’t confirm HTC’s plans for the original. HTC has been one of the best lately when it comes to updates, but since they’re two years old, there’s plenty of new features they can add to new devices without the need for hardware. Android 5.0 Lollipop will likely be the last major update for the HTC One (M7), so the One M9 is a great choice going forward, with at least 18 months of software updates guaranteed. That and the new theme engine on the One M9 are one of our favorite features. With so much control out of the box, you don’t need to root your phone.
Price
Last but certainly not least is the price. The HTC One is almost two years old and probably not available from carriers these days, but you can probably find them new or used for under $400 from other online sources. This makes it a great buy, but again, this is designed for those who want to upgrade rather than buy the phone.
The new HTC One M9 release date is set for April 10, and it’s already starting to arrive for T-Mobile buyers and will hit the shelves in a few days. Most carriers want $199 A new 2-year contract with monthly payment options for approximately $25-27 per month or direct $649.
It’s a big price to pay, but you’re getting the latest and greatest smartphone with the latest technology, a better camera, and more. All said and done, the HTC One (M7) is still a good smartphone, but it’s two years old now and many users probably need an upgrade. A great choice would be the new HTC One M9 or maybe the Galaxy S6 Edge.
