FollowHTC announced its rather impressive One smartphone two days ago, and the result has been the tech press taking a step back and welcoming the Taiwanese company back into the game. For many HTC had blown its chance, the once Android favourite had slipped in recent years and let Samsung become the dominant Android brand with its stunning Galaxy range, but now HTC is back.
There is no doubt that HTC has built a fine phone, and the company has gone to great lengths to ensure that the HTC One is constructed from the best materials and to the finest standards. However, is that enough to drag consumers away from Samsung and into the arms of HTC? It is perhaps best to see just what the One offers that is worth getting excited about.
When images of the HTC One were leaked weeks ahead of the official launch we were a little taken aback by the two speakers that were clearly front-facing on the front of the device. Luckily the speakers in that position have a purpose as they offer a clearer audio experience, one that could well be the best on any smartphone thanks to the dedicated amplifier.
In the looks department the HTC One is a winner, but that said so is the Galaxy S3 and we assume the upcoming Galaxy S4 will be too. So can the HTC One dethrone Samsung? Here is a novel thought, maybe it does not need to, maybe the One can carve out its very own space in the Android universe, and we think that is possible because of the changing technological times.
The smartphone boom is here, everybody wants one so maybe now there is room for every company to have a device that sells well. Even a year ago the smartphone industry was still growing as a fresh market, and even though the market is still growing rapidly, it is now mature and has room for manoeuvre.
The result is we are seeing more devices sell in large numbers. Sony is already reporting that it is selling out of its Xperia Z flagship, days after it was released. Blackberry’s Z10 is doing solid numbers while Samsung and Apple continue to pave the way. The HTC One is already creating enough buzz to suggest it will be a hit, and maybe it does not need to defeat Samsung to be a successful Android handset after-all. Check out our full hands-on review of the HTC One.
