HTC One A9 review: This is not Android’s iPhone

Forget about waiting around until February or March 2016 to see what the next flagship from HTC brings. The One A9 is here and it wants to be everything in a slim, compact piece of aluminum. Actually, if you ask HTC what the One A9 is meant to be, the company will tell you that this is the pinnacle of brilliance. That last word is defined by HTC as bringing personal control, function, and innovation into a single product, one that goes against the grain of popularity. Oddly though, the One A9 seems like a familiar device. Once again is HTC implementing an all-metal unibody design, its HTC Sense overlay, a seamless photo experience, and high-end audio. The original One M7 donned an incredible aluminum frame; the One (M8) packed serious stereo speakers; the One M9 refined the entire package. All pieces for HTC to draw upon. So it all comes down to execution for the One A9.

This is what’s supposed to lift HTC out of the dark and place it in the spotlight.

Where the One A9 differs from the last three HTC flagships is pricing and availability. This is a phone that can be bought at an off-contract price that doesn’t completely break the bank. And, unlike some off-contract phones, quality is not sacrificed despite not paying north of $600. The One A9, which works on each of the Big Four U.S. carriers’ networks, costs $399 for a limited time off-contract. Aside from the unlocked variant, there will be variants that work solely on Sprint’s network and another for AT&T and T-Mobile customers. The latter variant will also be able to travel over to Verizon; however, do realize that you’ll be limited at it does not support there infamous CDMA network.

Design

The One A9 is coming at a time when no one really questions the fact that HTC can make beautiful devices. Since the One series’ reboot in 2013, the company has earned countless design and engineering awards. It’s not very surprising that the One A9 is just as beautiful the One M9. The two, though, do have their differences statistically and aesthetically. HTC’s flagship from earlier this year measures 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6mm, weighing 157g, while the One A9 — the company’s current flagship — is thinner and lighter at 145.7 x 70.8 x 7.26mm and 143g. You can tell that this belongs to the famed One series.

HTC says that this phone’s design is “subtle yet distinct.” I can agree with them because its design is unassuming. There really isn’t anything that makes the One A9 stand out, not that being unassuming is a bad thing. Compare the One A9 to another phone from HTC and any person will likely understand that the same company is behind their designs. Then compare the One A9 to the Galaxy Note 5, Moto G, or Nexus 5X. They’ll recognize HTC did not make those phones. HTC figured out a way to be unapologetically different. The One A9 is attractive even if it’s not groundbreaking. Here, there’s an all-metal unibody that’s smooth and cold to touch, meeting the front glass panel at a slightly curved edge. All of this allows the phone to sit so comfortably in your hand. Holding the One A9 is far more pleasant than any other phone I’ve used this year.

As good as having an aluminum phone is, gripping can be difficult. If you have hands that are perpetually moist (which you may want to get checked out), an aluminum phone is probably not for you unless you put a case/cover on it. It’ll slide right out of your hands and greet the floor at the end of its trip through midair. Fortunately for the One A9, HTC used a dual brushed and bead-blasted finish, similar to what was refined with the One M9. This means that the phone is not as slippery in the hand. HTC did throw polish on the sides and, yes, that can be a problem. However, the One A9 is compact enough where you can have a really good grip on it whether you’re using one or two hands.

The front of the One A9 is pretty plain, as is the case with most phones. The color of the frame encasing the display comes in black or white. It’s an average size on the top and sides, but the bottom chin of the One A9 is rather large. That’s because HTC included a purposeful physical home button. For the first time since the HTC One Max, the company has a device with a fingerprint scanner available in the United States. Don’t fret! The One A9’s fingerprint scanner is nothing like that of the One Max. Nonetheless, it does add to the size of the bottom chin. Had it not been there, people would finally be happy to see an HTC phone that doesn’t have such large bezels. HTC also insisted on squeezing its logo between the physical home button and the display.

Flip over the phone and things don’t really get any more exciting. The center of the rear has the HTC logo and near the top is the camera and LED flash. It seems like the fingerprint scanner would have been better on the back considering its compact size naturally places your index finger just below the camera at the center.

Other physical buttons included on the One A9 are for power and volume. Everyone is still split on the placement of these and here HTC has put the volume rocker above the power button. It’s not exactly my favorite spot for any phone and definitely not with this one. The One A9 isn’t tall enough, so your fingers are naturally on the volume rocker instead of the power button. I constantly pressed the volume rocker down thinking it was the power button. Perhaps HTC knew about this because two things combat how annoying it is to mistakenly press the wrong button. The power button is textured in order to differentiate it from the volume rocker, so you should know whether or not you’re about to press the appropriate button. Or, tapping the physical home button wakes the phone. Regardless, I really wish the volume rocker was on the left side or swapped positions with the power button.

Two slots are on the One A9, both situated on the left side near the top. The one closest to the top is for a microSD card that can bring in an additional 2TB of storage while the lower one is the SIM card slot.

The bottom has two ports, the usual micro-USB (sorry USB Type-C!) and auxiliary. They are aligned to the right of the lone speaker grill. Front-facing stereo speakers with BoomSound are not present.

So after seeing the phone from various angles, I’d like to ask you a question… Does HTC’s One A9 look like Apple’s iPhone?

HTC One A9

Apple iPhone 6S

Ask HTC what they think about people saying the One A9 is a copycat of the iPhone and you’ll get a response that equates to not so fast. Jack Tong, HTC North Asia President, told a publication that it is Apple who is copying HTC:

“We’re not copying. We made a uni-body metal-clad phone in 2013. It’s Apple that copies us in terms of the antenna design on the back.”

Look at the rear on both devices and you’ll see bands at the top and bottom. This was first implemented by HTC with the original One M7 that was released in March 2013. Apple didn’t start using the same strategy to improve antenna quality until the iPhone 6 of 2014. But to be honest, other companies are using bands like this on their phones, too. HTC and Apple are being caught in the middle because of how similar the One A9 and iPhone 6S look. Move the camera on either phone to the opposition’s location and they look strikingly similar if you hide company logos. At some point, you’re going to have similarities. Everyone needs to accept that.

Color options for the One A9 include Opal Silver, Carbon Grey, Deep Garnet, and Topaz Gold. Depending on carrier and/or region, the color options you get to choose from may vary. The unit that I was sent by HTC was Opal Silver, which really adds to the iPhone-like look. To me, the One A9 is yet another beautiful phone that the engineers at HTC should be proud of. It’s well-made and no parts of it feel inherently cheap.

Hardware

The One A9 features a 5-inch Full HD (1920×1080) AMOLED display covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor, Adreno 405, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot for up to 2TB, a 13MP rear camera, a 4MP front camera, a 2150mAh battery (non-removable), a fingerprint scanner, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, and Bluetooth 4.1.

Bands:

4G LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 29)
3G UMTS (850, 900, AWS, 1900, 2100)
GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900)

Performance

Not much has changed over the course of the last three years with HTC’s displays. Their displays haven’t grown or evolved dramatically. Display resolution has never changed since the original One M7 and size has only increased once, moving from 4.7 inches to 5 inches with the One (M8). Like the two HTC flagships before it, the One A9 has a 5-inch Full HD display. The company still does not feel compelled to make the jump to Quad HD (2560×1440) with a display spanning 5.5+ inches. Samsung, Motorola, and LG have all released one or more phones with displays surpassing HTC’s offerings in both size and resolution. With the One A9, HTC at least decided to change its technology. The company really dropped their loyal use of LCD technology in favor of Super AMOLED. What you get here with the One A9 is a wider range of colors that really pop. This phone, like many of Samsung’s Super AMOLED devices, masters vibrancy. Colors look so rich and warm, unlike the coldness offered by some LCD displays. And it’s really needed on the One A9 because of how HTC uses its own wide range of color throughout HTC Sense. I didn’t notice a loss in sharpness moving from the Moto X Pure Edition’s Quad HD display to the One A9’s Full HD. The former’s 520 pixels per inch is better than the One A9’s 441 on paper, but your eyes won’t pick up on the drop.

The One A9’s display (and entire front panel) is also really durable as its covered with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4, a technology twice as durable as its predecessor.

My sole gripe with the One A9’s display is the black border surrounding it. I understand that all phone’s with white fronts will likely show and emphasize a thin black border; however, the black border on the One A9 isn’t thin. It’s actually pretty thick, and it’s visible at all times. If you purchase the Opal Silver or Topaz Gold version of the One A9, prepare to notice that black border. The Carbon Grey and Deep Garnet versions do a better job hiding it.

I’m also baffled, and not necessarily bothered, by the inclusion of on-screen buttons since the One A9 has a physical home button. Capacitive buttons for Back and Recents should have been placed on the left and right sides of the home button. If HTC explains the current setup is a result of the fingerprint scanner, the component should have gone on the back of the One A9. Then HTC could keep its beloved on-screen buttons and the extra layer of authentication that comes with Marshmallow. Believe me, you’re going to run into problems where you forget that the physical home button is a home button and accidentally tap it when resting a finger there.

HTC touts its phones as multimedia wizards, which is partially true with the One A9. The speaker, while not a front-facing stereo speaker with BoomSound, is very powerful. Sound comes out of the bottom of the phone with depth, but that quickly disappears if you cover the speaker grill. I put my finger over it and the One A9 was essentially muted. The same thing happens with the Galaxy Note 5. The Nexus 5X, however, does not face the issue of being silenced. HTC tries to make up for it all by including BoomSound with Dolby Audio for compatible headphones, 24-bit / 192KHz audio, and a dedicated headphone amp. The catch is that you’re going to need specific equipment and audio files. Audiophiles will love the One A9 for this, but others will likely be unaware of the extra features.

This flagship lacks a traditional flagship processor. Rather than rolling with something from Qualcomm’s primary Snapdragon 800 series, the One A9 is operated by a processor from the Snapdragon 600 series. The good news is that the One A9 has the fresh Snapdragon 617, and it’s paired with 3GB of RAM. As I mention with any review, I’m not a power user by any means. I rarely push my phone to its limit. But I sure made it my job (quite literally) to so with the One A9. I was trading messages on Hangouts, playing Minecraft: Pocket Edition, and streaming music from iHeartRadio to see if the phone’s performance would be hindered. It turns out that the phone would only slow down slightly and just briefly if I left Minecraft to do something like scroll through Twitter. When not playing a game as heavy as Minecraft, the One A9 was fine throughout the day. It’s not as fast as the LG G4 or even the Nexus 5X, but I’m not going to complain and call the One A9 slow; HTC Sense or a lack of software optimization could be to blame for this.

So how well does that fingerprint scanner work? Perfectly. HTC followed Google’s requirements to implement a proper fingerprint scanner, giving the One A9 a premier security measure. Place a digit on the fingerprint scanner that has been saved and the One A9 will unlock instantly. There is some leeway to allow your finger to be placed at various angles to unlock the phone.

Battery

The One A9 is able to be so thin and light because of its small battery. A non-removable 2150mAh battery is stored within that all-metal body. Of course you can find a bigger battery in other phones; however, HTC seemingly optimized the One A9 to get the most out of 2150mAh because I consistently approached a full twenty-four hours before hitting 0%. I’ll admit that, again, I’m not a power user. My day-to-day activities on the One A9 included checking Twitter, sending/receiving emails, using Hangouts, and streaming music from iHeartRadio. In dire situations, use HTC’s Extreme Power Saving mode to stretch the One A9’s battery life further.

Here’s the expected battery life:

• HD video playback: up to 12 hours
• Audio playback: up to 60 hours
• WiFi browsing: up to 9 hours
• Talk time: up to 16 hours
• Standby time: up to 18 days

I’m begging you to not head down into the comments and whine about this phone not having a removable battery. Save yourself the time. They’re going away whether you like it or not.

The One A9 supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology, so you’ll be able to charge it in a short amount of time using a compatible charger. It takes way less than sixty minutes to get a charge that will allow you to leave the house without worry about your phone’s battery life. HTC also notes that the One A9 will support the upcoming Quick Charge 3.0 technology that is 38% more efficient than what is currently out there.

Software

Anyone who has used an HTC device in the last eighteen months will feel right as home. HTC Sense has only grown for the better since the introduction of the One (M8) in 2014. The company has never had to overhaul or scrap its overlay. HTC Sense continues to be tweaked. It never gets in the way like Samsung’s TouchWiz or LG’s UX 4.0 tend to. This overlay is beautiful and adds value to HTC devices. It’s interesting that HTC has not transitioned to an overlay that resembles Material Design. I can’t blame them. HTC Sense gets things right in its own way — never cluttered, clunky, or ugly.

Aside from the beautiful user interface and intuitive user experience, HTC Sense stands out with its customization. The Themes app gives you control over wallpapers, colors, icons, sounds, and font. Motorola may be the only company allowing vast external customization, but no one does software customization like HTC. HTC Sense is built around you because of this customization and its adaptive nature. Through the Sense Home widget, the One A9 will show which apps are most useful at work, at home, or on the go. Pretty cool that your phone can think about which apps you could use before you even start searching for one.

HTC Sense is clearly the best overlay as no one comes close to what HTC does on top of Android.

For those of you who I know are wondering, the One A9 has the company’s underrated Motion Launch gestures. I’ve missed them when using other phones. HTC BlinkFeed is back, too, but I’m not really sure many people are rushing to use it anymore. Most people now use Twitter for seeing what’s going on in the world. The advantage of BlinkFeed is being able to add in calendar events, social media accounts, and other services for an integrated, personalized news feed.

Note: Read our review of the One M9 for more in-depth analysis of the software due to the One A9 being practically identical in this area.

The biggest selling point for the One A9 could be HTC’s promise to deliver software updates within 15 days of a Google pushing them out to Nexus devices. A similar promise was made by HTC when Android 5.0 Lollipop came about last year but the company dropped the ball. That was with a 90-day window to provide the latest version of Android to devices. Being cut down to 15 days, HTC’s software developers are going to have their work cut out for them. At least they won’t fall behind with a major version of Android as the One A9 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow from the get-go. This is indeed the first non-Nexus device to ship with Marshmallow.

Camera

Although it’s not HTC’s strongest area, cameras are something that this company is not afraid to experiment with. UltraPixel? Duo Camera? Both terms were coined by HTC, but the extra marketing fluff was toned down with the One M9. The One A9 is no different and continues the trend in being straightforward in photography. The only HTC-made term attached to the One A9 is UltraPixel for the front-facing camera. The 13MP rear camera, covered with sapphire glas, has a BSI sensor along with optical image stabilization (OIS). Need more control over your photography? Switch over to the Pro mode to gain access to advanced settings like ISO, aperture, and focus. Then switch the format from JPG to RAW. These are all things that a professional photographer plays around with to capture the perfect picture.

The camera is passable and not much else. The extra controls are helpful if you know what you’re doing, but people buying the One A9 aren’t going to care. The average person needs to use Auto mode and get good pictures, something that happens most of the time for the One A9. In low-light or shadowy conditions, the One A9 is hit-or-miss. Sometimes things go over well for the camera; then you’ll see a very cold image and wonder what happened. The pressure is building for HTC to release a phone that can consistently take good pictures.

The following pictures were all captured with the preset settings in the Auto mode.

Closing

Companies in the mobile industry have been shortening product life cycles more in the last two years than ever before. Blink and you’ll probably see a new flagship from Samsung, Huawei, Sony, or another hardware manufacturer launch. But HTC, like Apple and Motorola, has always remained optimistic that a lone flagship can survive on the market and generate viable revenue for twenty-four months.

Now, after experiencing financial woes in recent quarters, HTC finally looks to be moving toward the more popular approach by having a new flagship launch every six months. Consumers are constantly looking for the latest and greatest, so having a new phone launch in the spring and fall seasons is becoming a requirement to maintain interest. The One A9 is HTC’s move to take the company into the holiday season and right up until the next flagship arrives.

Although it’s not as flashy as the One M9, the One A9 is decent phone if you hide its price. Because at $399 (which will rise to $499), you might as well consider the Moto X Pure Edition or Nexus 5X. You’re getting a better phone in almost every area that’s also a lock to get swift software updates at the same price or less.

HTC built another phone that deserves praise for design, a pat on the back for performance, and a sigh for competitiveness.

Come comment on this article: HTC One A9 review: This is not Android’s iPhone

HTC One A9 review: Where have you been HTC?

After spending much of the summer tossing about the rumor mill, HTC last week unveiled its One A9. Touted as a hero experience, many in the smartphone space were initially looking for a be-all-end-all flagship model. What they got in the end was a mid-range model that plays in the same sandbox as the Motorola Moto X Pure Edition.

HTC has had a rough go at things over the last few years, partly because it has opted for the same design language nearly three straight times. And, while this might work for another company, it has come to haunt HTC. The A9 represents a shift in thought and a new approach to its smartphones.

Design

Let’s just get this out of the way: The HTC One A9, quite simply, is a breath of fresh air. It is easily the most appealing device HTC has offered up in the last few years.

Based on the leaked renders and early pre-release pictures, I, like many other people, feared it would be yet another uninspired design from HTC. “Hey look, it’s an obvious HTC design. Oh, and it happens to look like an iPhone.” Well, I was wrong and I couldn’t be happier. Pictures of this device do not do it justice. You have to hold this one in feel it to see that it is unlike the last two generations of HTC devices.

The fusion of metal and glass and general design language is a departure from the things we have seen in M series and it couldn’t have come any sooner.

It is sleek and polished and feels like a premium device, perhaps even more so than the last two or three flagships. If anything, it feels new. In other words, it doesn’t feel like yet another visit to the One M well.

Quite simply, this one feels like it can take a little bit of abuse and not stuff or scratch too easily. I feel safer having this one exposed and without a case than I do with, say, a Galaxy S6. I get the sense it will handle pockets and purses better than the all-glass or metal hybrids of its competition. Of course only time will tell.

From the moment I picked the One A9 up I was impressed with the device. The first thing I noticed was that it was totally flush (except for the ring around the rear camera). Unlike the One M7-M9, which had the curved back, this one goes back to the classic rectangular and angular shape.

I was concerned by this design choice; I am a fan of the Motorola Moto X models and the way the curve lends to better and more natural in-hand experience. HTC nailed it with this one as I do not miss the curve around back.

The front of the device is pure white with Gorilla Glass protection snuggled on top of it. The screen certainly does not feel like it wants to shatter with just a simple drop. I get the sense that the One A9 will take have no problems taking a little bit of abuse.

The right side of the device houses the volume rocker and the power button. The power button has ridges in it (like a Ruffles potato chip) that make it easily identifiable, particularly without looking. It feels rough but not overly rough and signals you’ve found the one you’re looking for.

On the left side of the device you will find the microSD card slot and the SIM card slot. Indeed, HTC has opted to identify them, labeling each clearly. If the internal storage is not enough for you, the phone will support up to 2 terabytes of additional storage.

The front of the device offers a single speaker at the top center with the front facing camera just off to the right. The BoomSound technology is not here; there is no dual front-facing stereo speaker this time around. Do I miss that? Hardly.

No matter how good or how much better than other smartphones the speakers were on previous HTC models, I simply do not enjoy the music playing from a phone. I prefer to use Bluetooth speakers for louder listening or headphones for a more intimate experience.

Performance

The home button has a fingerprint scanner which can unlock the device or secure applications, purchases, and other apps. The buttons are soft keys with the left button being “back”, the middle “home”, and the right button for recent apps. You can also press the hardware button to return home so there are two potential home buttons. That is, of course, if that is how you want to tailor your device.

I found the home button fingerprint scanner to be very fast. I would pick up the phone and press the button for a fraction of a second and it unlocks. To be clear, it’s not so much of a button as it is a sensor.  As a whole the capacitive button is quick, accurate, and it is never a nuisance.

Looking through the phone I found that users can put up to 5 fingerprints on the device. So, if you want to use both thumbs or perhaps a spouse or someone you trust, you can add them, too.

Given the phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor with 3GB I didn’t expect the One A9 to be a zippy. Multi-tasking proved no problem and the handful of moderately graphic intense games I tossed at it weren’t an issue. It’s not the same as a Snapdragon 810 or 820, sure, but it keeps the price down.

Display

The display is so much better than I anticipated. That could be because of previous HTC models we tested, including the Desire 626. Switching to an AMOLED screen was the right thing for HTC to do and it looks great. Color is sharp, vibrant, and accurate.

Compared to other flagship smartphones we found this to be as good, if not better than other models at this price point. It’s a 1080p image so it does fall shorter of the 2560 x 1440 pixel stuff you’ll find in higher-end phones.

As to how it fared outdoors, the phone was easy to read in even the brightest of environments. I had the display all the way up in some instances, but as a whole, it was easy to see. Lines were defined, colors were still vibrant, and the experience was better than expected.

The 5-inch display is the right size for me as I do not have a large hand. While I do appreciate the screen size of a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or something that pushes into the 5.7-inch space, it is simply not easy to operate with one hand. To me, this is the perfect size for a phone. Yes, I wish there was smaller bezel to trim the sides of the display, but it’s not a deal breaker. Were HTC to trim this down a smidge, I imagine the phone would actually feel long in-hand.

Camera

The camera performs very well and captures color accurately. A few images captured in broad daylight had some blown out white, but nothing that concerned us. As a daily driver, camera-in-a-pinch situation I was happy in most cases.

Just as you’ll find with any smartphone, low light situations will throw things for a loop once in a while. I couldn’t quite figure it out, but there were times when evening shots and low-light were very noisy and then times when it came out just fine.  I was never irritated with the quality of image but found a few instances where I think the picture could have been better.

The One A9 employs a fast shutter and there are plenty of options to play with if you like to capture in a specific mode. Users can opt for Hyperlapse, slow motion, HDR, and more. It’s also dead simple to toggle over to RAW image files, leading to a more professional image.

The front-facing Ultrapixel camera performed admirably, even in a situation where the only light source was a tablet on the desk. It’s not as wide as you’ll find in other smartphone cameras but can gather up a small group shot.

Click here for a full gallery of camera samples hosted on Google Photos. Note that most images were shot either with HDR on or off and some with flash. You’ll not find anything using the pro or manual settings.

As part of the smartphone configuration, it’s possible to enhance the experience with gestures or short cuts. Hold the phone sideways and press the volume up, for instance, and the One A9 will launch directly into the camera. Yes, even if you have a fingerprint or security PIN on your phone. After the pictures are taken you cannot do anything else. Try to go into another application and the phone will ask you for the security password, the PIN, or fingerprint authentication.

Sound

The sound from the single speaker is par for the course. Unlike the stereo stuff from other HTC models, the speaker is found on the bottom of the phone and it does broadcast downward. It’s not overly rich or full of range, but I’ve heard far worse.

 

The built-in amplifier, however, is incredible. If you’re a plug-in headphone sort of user then you’re going to love this one. I tested this with some of HTC’s Pro Sound earphones and was more than moderately impressed. The sound that comes out of this 3.5mm jack must be heard to be believed. I cannot wait to try other more professional sneakers headphones with this phone.

Battery

The One A9 includes a non-removable 2150mAh battery so it’s definitely on the lower side of things when compared to flagships. The Moto X Pure Edition, for instance, includes a 3000mAh power source.

On a positive note, the Android 6.0 Marshmallow feature includes Android Doze, which helps get more life out of your batteries, regardless of capacity. The battery is capable of Quick Charge 2.0 so it juices up quicker than older models. A future software update will enable Quick Charge 3.0 which means even faster top-off speeds.

Interestingly enough, HTC elected to not use USB Type C charging, despite its native support in Android 6.0. But, given I don’t have any replacement cables or anything for my car just yet, I am glad they stuck with the traditional microUSB plug. Another year from now, and when it’s cheaper to buy extra cords, and I might have cared more here.

I’ve found that I get to the end of day without having to charge the One A9. Indeed, even at the 2150mAh capacity, it’s doing quite well. As a frame of reference, it’s currently 3:00PM and I’ve had the phone off the charger for nearly six hours. I’m sitting comfortably at 77% left and I have yet to enable power saver or extreme power saving. Suffice it to say, you should be able to get through your day without worry.

Software

I absolutely love that this phone launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. As the first non-Nexus smartphone on the market with this version of Android, this is a true feather in HTC’s cap. The handset maker should be proud that it has this on the market so quickly after Android 6.0 was released.

Thanks to Marshmallow, One A9 users can enjoy stuff like native fingerprint reader support, Google Now on Tap, Android Pay, and Doze. It’s the latest and greatest from Google and HTC hasn’t done anything here to muck it up.

The model that I reviewed is an unlocked version so it is not tied to any specific carrier. I put in a T-Mobile SIM card and have been using it for the last few days with service delivered as expected. Along those lines, this phone did not have any of the pre-loaded carrier applications. The suite of apps, games, and services will vary from provider to provider but I cannot speak to them from personal experience.

It’s not a stock experience by any stretch, but it does not feel overwhelmingly bloated. The Sense UI is still here, but it feels like it takes a little bit of a back seat. Indeed you can customize this with themes, fonts, wallpapers, and other settings. I like that the phone walks you through the initial setup and hands you off when ready for a little more advanced configuration.

The BlinkFeed is a great tool for people who are just getting into smartphones and/or social media. A swipe to the left delivers news and social streams in a sharp, intuitive layout. Those of us who prefer specific apps for Twitter, Facebook, and other services may not care so much for BlinkFeed, but it’s an excellent all-in-one feature for newbies and basic users.

As someone who is quick to install Nova Launcher Prime on his phone, I was a little bit more reluctant this time to do it so early on. I enjoyed playing around with the settings and configurations that HTC offers. I venture to guess that average consumers will really like the tweaking and modding available that doesn’t require advanced education or previous experience in this area.

Installing new themes is a breeze and can change up the entire feel of your phone within a matter of minutes. HTC does a great job of curating a variety of themes, ensuring it doesn’t feel like a dump of lookalike layouts. There’s something for everyone.

Perhaps the best software feature, if only in theory, is that HTC promises incredibly fast turnaround on software updates for the One A9. According to the handset maker, the One A9 will see the next versions of Android within 15 days of it being made available to Google Nexus line. We’ll see if HTC can stick to its guns, but we’re anxious to find out.

Conclusion

I am a huge fan of the $400 price that HTC is offering right now. Although it is a promotional/limited-time offer, it’s one I have no problem endorsing. How much higher can they get away with? I’d say $500 is about as much as HTC can afford to ask. But…

As to what you receive for the money, it’s quite the bundle. Not only do you get an unlocked phone that you can use with any GSM carrier, you also have the ability to unlock the boot loader without voiding the warranty. This doesn’t mean much to average Joe types, but those who like to tinker and push their phone to new limits will take pleasure in this.

Factor in the Uh-Oh Protection that comes with HTC flagship phones and the six months of Google Play Music All Access and you have one of the most appealing packages on the market. As much as I admire the Moto X Pure Edition at the same price, this one has a little more of the intangible stuff that offers peace of mind. And, because it’s a tad smaller, the One A9 is more pocketable and easier to use with one hand.

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It is not clear which color options will be available to which carriers, but I can tell you that the Opal Silver finish is sharp and eye-catching. I at once want to protect this thing with the studiest of protective cases, yet I don’t want to cover up any of it.

Does it look like an iPhone? Of course it does. What it doesn’t look like, however, is the last three years of HTC designs. And, let’s face it, how much can you innovate on this type of design? I applaud HTC for this model and really hope that it takes this design forward. I don’t want to see this over the next three years, mind you, but I would love to see at least one or two generations and variations of this look.

I have truly enjoyed carrying his phone around for the last few days and I’m quick to reach for it over my other phones.  I’m also going to be quick to recommend this one to you and anyone else interested in a new smartphone.

The post HTC One A9 review: Where have you been HTC? appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Hands-on: The HTC One A9 is a surprisingly great device with great potential

HTC recently announced their latest device to the world, the HTC One A9. The rumors and leaked press images were pretty spot on, as they usually are. More details were revealed from HTC during their non-traditional device unveiling live stream event. Most notably was that it is the first non Nexus device to carry Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. Since its announcement I have been utilizing one as my daily device. Now, I won’t call this is review, as 4 days of usage can’t really give a solid amount of information. None the less though, there is still plenty to talk about for anyone that is considering this as their next device.

Basic Specs: 

• Size: 145.75 70.8 x 7.26 mm
• Weight: 143 g
• Screen: 5.0 inch Full HD 1080p display covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 4
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 octa-core 64-bit processor
• RAM: 3GB (in this model)
• Storage: 32GB (in this model), 2TB micro SD support
• Android version: 6.0 Marshmallow
• Battery: 2150mAh with Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 that is upward compatible to QuickCharge 3.0
• Rear Camera: 13MP sapphire cover lens, auto-focus, BSI sensor, OIS, f/2.0, 1080p video
• Front Camera: HTC UltraPixel, fixed focus, f/2.0 and 1080p video

Physical appearance

Let’s get that proverbial Elephant in the room out-of-the-way. Yes, it looks a lot like an iPhone. Moving right along. The HTC One A9 is a unibody metal device, which is something HTC has been doing for a number of years. The rear offers up a brushed aluminum finish that is subtle and smooth. It features rounded edges that makes holding it very nice.

HTC did away with the Boomsound front facing speakers that many loved about the One M series and opted for a more traditional downward facing speaker. It isn’t as loud as Boomsound, but certainly has some volume to it. HTC didn’t stray from their dedication to sound as the headphone jack is amped up 24-bit Dolby Digital output that delivers 192KHz output.

On the rear you find your 13MP camera flash positioned in the top center of the device. The small ring that protects the sapphire glass cover protrudes ever so slightly and is almost nonexistent. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S6, which sticks out quite a bit.

On the front at the bottom is a new addition for HTC, a finger print sensor. It is oval-shaped and is likely to remind you of Samsung’s home button. A simply tap on the button quickly and securely unlocks your device if you opt to use it as such. You will need to set it up if plan to use Android Pay in any fashion. It is both quick and centrally located. I am anti finger print to unlock my device, but I set it up to see how well it worked out. I logged 4 fingers and never once did I have an issue getting into the device. It is also worth mentioning that it is a sensor and not a physical button, but it does double as a home button from any screen and will wake up the device even if you don’t use it for its finger print focus.

The volume rocker sits above the power button on the right hand side of the A9. They both feel like well crafted aluminum buttons with the power button sporting ridges to help you feel which button you are pressing.

On the left of the device, near the top, is where you find two separate trays. One is for the nano SIM of your choice and the other is for your micro SD card. I have a 128GB SanDisk card inserted currently and have no issues with the device reading its size and all its files. The SD slot is an important addition if you plan to jump into RAW photo shooting as they are quite large.

Battery Life

A major concern that surfaced after the initial announcement was the battery size, 2150mah, and how long it would power through a day. While the battery may seem small, it is only 400mAh less than Samsung put into their Galaxy S6 with a better battery managing Android OS, less pixel pushing screen and less power sucking processor. Since my current time with the device has been a little short for a true battery life test result, the few days I have used the phone has been nothing short of outstanding.

The first full day of use left Bluetooth on and connected to the Moto 360 2nd gen. I was using Wi-Fi at work quite a bit, but shut it off midway through my day and was on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network. I connected 3 email accounts, G+, Hangouts, and Google photos. I used the flashlight function for a few minutes and set up the usual apps for casting like Plex, HBO Now and Netflix. The damn thing made it through the entire day, nearly 16 hours, with an estimated 40 minutes remaining before I finally had to call it quits. During that time there were texts, phone calls, emails, and all the usual things I do with a screen on time of 3.5 hours. As for screen brightness, I was on approximately 33 – 40% brightness, which was more than enough to see clearly.

It is also important to note that the first full day didn’t make use of the power saving mode at all. At least not by choice. The device did turn it on for the remaining 15%. I am almost scared to see what it can do if I switch it on for a full day of use. I will definitely do it in the coming days and report back though.

I did fail to test out the QuickCharge aspect of the battery. I don’t think many of you have any real big concerns over the charging of it. At least, anyone that has used a QuickCharge capable device in the last year. Again, something I will touch on later in the week.

Camera

The camera is another concern of many as HTC has had a rather rocky history in that field. The rear shooting 13MP camera offers a heck of a lot for the average shooter to the professional. HTC saw fit to make sure this device could shoot in a Photoshop junkies favorite mode, RAW. It even comes pre-loaded with a photo editing app to help move things along. My concerns were geared primarily towards how the camera shots would look and how user-friendly the camera app would be. For me, I want quality photos from every shot with minimal effort. I am not a photographer, but I like taking pictures. If it takes to long to focus, or to open the camera app at all then it is a no go for me. Both the camera and the app put my fears to rest in a hurry.

The app is easy to navigate and understand. HTC doesn’t overlay a million options on the screen that are confusing or taunting. You can quickly switch between camera modes simply by swiping across the screen versus having to open a menu. Here are a few screenshots of what the app looks like for your visual studying.

As for how the images come out, I took a few shots, but not as many as I would have liked. Time just didn’t allow for much between the family and the day job. My thoughts though are that the focus point is extremely quick and accurate on the rear shooter. HTC states the camera app launches in 0.6 seconds. The shutter speed is also quick and without the delay I have experienced on past Motorola devices with HTC listing it at 0.1 second shutter. A quick snap on my way to the car of the tree in the front yard shows some good colors that cover the spectrum. The first image is just a point-and-shoot shot while the second was with HDR turned on.

HTC’s Ultra Pixel camera on the front is pretty outstanding in low light and since it is the module used as the front shooter you can expect some pretty bright selfies even in the lowest of light conditions. The image below was taken while writing this last night. The only light that is present is a dimmed down monitor and a TV in the background. While I don’t look happy to be up this late, I am certainly clearly visible.

Another addition to the HTC camera on the A9 is a Hyperlapse option. This mode lets you take long video and shorten it up into a quick time lapse video.

Stock Apps and Settings

HTC dumbed things down considerably with the One A9. Pulling a lot of apps out of the mix that you usually find on a Sense overlay device. It took the Sense icons and some of the attributes that make it stand out as Sense, but it is very clean.

There are only two pages of apps pre-installed. Granted, a number of them are pre-set to folders. You can see HTC’s Zoe app, Help, Themes and News Republic are present. Along with the Photo Editor and Setup app.

In the settings menu you have a number of small settings beyond your typical device changes. Under Display and Gesture > Motion Launch gestures you will find a page right out of LG with a double tap to wake and sleep option. Easily explained as tapping the screen twice when it is asleep and it turns it on. Similarly double tap to put the device to sleep. You can also enable swipe to unlock, which lets you swipe up on the screen when it is asleep to unlock it. There are a couple of others like swipe left to unlock and go to home screen, swipe right to unlock and go to Blinkfeed and pull up the phone in landscape and press the volume button to activate the camera. All of the motion launch gestures are rather useful.

Quick thoughts

While the HTC One A9 isn’t geared towards a flagship killer, it certainly packs more than enough punch for most users. Over the course of 4 days I have experience no lag, no abnormal battery drain issues or a dead battery during a day of normal use. I am sure someone who is constantly playing games and on social media will experience a bit more drain than I did, but as I said before, this is my experience with the HTC One A9. I do feel a bit like a traitor using it as it does look and feel like an iPhone enough to make people do a double take. Might be fun to say it a proto type iPhone 7 and that they are switching to the Android OS. Hey, Blackberry did it, so I am sure someone would believe me.

It is quite interesting to me that even after such a short time, I find myself wanting to stick with this little guy over my Galaxy S6 and even the Moto X Pure Edition. The screen is plenty crisp, the photos come out good and the battery lasts exceptionally long. To add to the perks, it comes with HTC Uh-Oh protection to cover your device from accidental breaks, it is network unlocked and unlocking the bootloader won’t void your warranty. Toss in their dedication to roll out Android updates within 15 days of the Nexus line getting them and it is shaping up to be a solid mid-tier competitor with the smaller form factor that many really want in their hands.

Pricing

The HTC One A9 is currently up for pre-order through HTC.com for an introductory price of $399.99. That price is said to go up to $499.99 on November 7th. If you have been thinking about getting your hands on one, but have been waiting for the verdict from users, I say go grab one now before the price increase.

 

 

 

The post Hands-on: The HTC One A9 is a surprisingly great device with great potential appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

[Deal] You can now bag yourself an HTC RE Camera for just $50

HTC has just kicked off a mammoth sale on its durable action camera, the RE. The gadget is available to purchase for just $50 on the Taiwanese company’s official website, which is a massive saving of $149.

For those unaware of what the RE is, it’s a 16-megapixel waterproof camera that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. All images and videos are transferred to your handset as soon as they’ve been snapped for instant editing and sharing.

If you like the sound of the HTC RE Camera and would like to take advantage of this promotion, hit the source link below.

Source: HTC

Come comment on this article: [Deal] You can now bag yourself an HTC RE Camera for just $50

HTC will bump the price of the One A9 up by $100 in the U.S. on November 7

When HTC unveiled the One A9 last week, the company also stated that its latest smartphone would carry a reduced price tag of $399 in the United States for a limited time, too. However, it didn’t give any details on when the promotion would end, and by how much the device’s price would increase.

Thankfully, HTC has now rectified this by putting out a statement, which establishes that the price of the One A9 will, in fact, be $499.99 after the pre-sale ends on Saturday, November 7.

Here’s what HTC had to say:

“The cost of the HTC One A9 is the same worldwide to all distributors and operator partners. For end consumers, HTC’s sales regions are given the freedom to set prices and promotions as they see fit for local market needs. The One A9 price in the US is a very limited-time promotional offer for that region’s online store, as well as select HTC-only franchise stores. The offer is a special promotional pre-sale and is expected to conclude once the One A9 is available on-shelf at major retail and distributor partners.

After the promotional pre-sale offer ends, the new price in the US at htc.com will be $499.99 beginning 12:01 a.m. on 11/7.”

If you’re based in the United States and are interested in purchasing the One A9, best get your order in by Saturday, November 7 to save $100.

Come comment on this article: HTC will bump the price of the One A9 up by $100 in the U.S. on November 7

HTC’s new flagship phone will cost $100 more after launch in the US

If the $399 pricing of HTC’s new flagship phone, the One A9, sounds like a sweet deal, you may want to reserve a unit right now. Turns out it’s just a “special promotional pre-sale” for the online store and select retail outlets in the US, a company spokesperson told Engadget, which will soon be over. The electronics maker failed to mention that in the past, so now you only have a few days to decide whether you want to purchase the One A9 at its current price. Starting on November 7th at 12:01 AM, htc.com will be selling the phone for $499.

Via: Slashgear