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HTC showed off the next generation of its smartphone line with the new and improved One. The device, its flagship model, will be available in March on T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint networks.
Prices will start at $199.99 for the 32GB option and rise to $299.99 for the 64GB version. HTC believes that it’s the kind of device that will help it overcome some of the market challenges it faced in 2012. By the look of things, HTC might be right.
The HTC is arguably the best smartphone we now know about. Granted, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is a popular Android-based product and the iPhone 5 is the single-most popular device on the market. But as HTC has proven in 2012, those models are so last year. It’s a new world in the smartphone market and right now, HTC might be the device maker to take command of it.
Later this year, Apple will unveil a new iPhone—likely to be called the iPhone 5S—that will try to beat the HTC One. But until then, HTC’s option is a much better choice for customers than the iPhone 5.
Read on to find out why:
1. A huge display
Apple made waves when it announced that it had upped its iPhone’s screen size last year from 3.5 inches to 4 inches. However, that looks awfully small compared to the HTC One, which is outfitted with a 4.7-inch display. As Apple itself noted last year, more screen real estate matters. HTC obviously agrees.
2. Watch out for Snapdragon
Apple’s A6 processor is certainly nice and gets the job done for most tasks. However, the HTC One is running a quad-core Snapdragon processor that will deliver better performance than that found in Apple’s handset. For customers looking for more power, choosing the HTC One seems like a good idea.
3. Better visuals
Apple’s iPhone 5 display supports 326 pixels per inch, making it a high-end display. However, HTC’s option comes with a whopping 468 pixels per inch and a screen resolution of 1,920-by-1,080 pixels. That’s something that folks who watch movies or play games shouldn’t miss.
4. Video chatting is improved
Video chatting has become a favorite pastime of an increasing number of consumers and enterprise users. And yet, Apple’s iPhone 5 has only a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. The HTC One, on the other hand, comes with a 2.1-megapixel front-facing lens, meaning it’ll deliver far better visuals for folks.
HTC One Smartphone Trumps the iPhone 5 in 10 Important Ways
5. The design is tops in the Android ecosystem
Looking at the HTC One, its design is one of the best the market has seen in a long time and is easily the best-looking option in the Android ecosystem. Apple’s iPhone 5 might still win design awards among some customers, but the HTC One might take the awards for the best new design. For the first time, the iPhone 5 has a true competitor on design.
6. Near-field communication
Near-field communication is the future. Just about everyone in the mobile industry agrees with that statement. Yet, Apple has yet to bundle the technology in its iPhone. HTC, however, has done so, meaning wirelessly transferring documents between devices or paying for products remotely is simple.
7. HTC One signs on multiple mobile carriers
One of Apple’s key selling points is that its product is available on a wide array of carriers. Many other products on store shelves are only available on one or two carrier networks. The HTC One doesn’t make the same mistake. Instead, the device will be available on AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile networks when it launches in March.
8. Extra RAM means better performance
All of the talk of better performance thanks to the One’s processor fails to acknowledge that it might do so well because of its extra RAM. The device comes with 2GB of RAM, meaning handling multiple applications and switching programs shouldn’t be a problem. Don’t underestimate the importance of extra RAM.
9. A big, old battery
Apple has remained tight-lipped on its battery size. HTC hasn’t. But why should it be shy? The One comes with a 2,300mAh battery. To put that into perspective, the latest BlackBerry Z10 comes with an 1,800mAh battery. The Galaxy S3 has a 2,100mAh battery. That’s an awfully big difference when it comes to squeezing out extra time to use the HTC One between charges.
10. The right price
HTC made the smart decision to beat the iPhone 5 on price with its latest handset. The 32GB option will set customers back $199.99, compared to $299 for the iPhone 5. HTC’s One with 64GB of onboard storage will cost $299.99. The comparably equipped iPhone 5 goes for $399. Customers looking for a high-end device that’s cheaper than the iPhone, in other words, should opt for the HTC One.