HTC unveils the One A9, a premium package for $399
The moment HTC fans have been waiting for has come. What would later be dubbed the One A9, HTC’s next “Hero” device has been on our minds since the company announced an upcoming strong contender following poor sales of the One M9.
So how does HTC think the One A9 will grab the market’s attention? Let’s go over the new approach the OEM has undertaken to convince consumers that this one is better than what the competition offers.
Firstly, the leaks over the phone’s design were accurate. Love it or not, the bezel is here to stay. There will be a great deal of complaining that the A9 resembles the iPhone too much, which is justified. But let’s not forget that the iPhone 6 resembled the One M7.
The One A9 was announced with four color options: Opal Silver, Topaz Gold, Carbon Gray, and Deep Garnet
The display has undergone a few updates from HTC’s previous flagship. While the screen size is still 5″, we now have an AMOLED panel (instead of the typical S-LCD panel that HTC has been using for years). You won’t find a pixel-stuffed QHD screen here as HTC has opted for 1080P. But being only a 5″ screen, this should be sufficient.
As is the story with premium phones, the display reaches to the edges on the sides and the glass has a 2.5D curvature into the metal frame. The screen is protected by latest from Corning, Gorilla Glass 4.
There’s a fingerprint scanner this time around, which sticks out like a sore thumb towards the bottom on the front. HTC is focusing on keeping up with the latest offerings from Google (Android Pay, Doze, Google Now on Tap). Therefore, the A9 will not only ship with Marshmallow out of the box, but it also has the promise of receiving Android OS updates within only 15 days from Google pushing them to the Nexus devices. That’s a pretty bold claim.
So what about specs? If you were expecting mid-end internals, you’d be mostly right. Here’s the breakdown:
- SoC: Snapdragon 617 (octa-core CPU, Adreno 405 GPU, 3GB of RAM)
- Display: 5″ 1080P AMOLED panel
- Cameras: 13MP rear (OIS, f/2.0 lens, sapphire glass cover) and front Ultrapixel camera (assuming at 4MP as previously)
- Storage: 16 or 32GB, expandable via microSD up to 2TB
- Battery: 2,150mAh
- OS: Android 6.0 with Sense UI
The main camera has a couple tricks. Firstly, HTC finally brought OIS back (which was absent after the One M7). Focusing is done via Phase-Detection Autofocusing (there’s no laser autofocus to assist with that). You’ll have access to the RAW image files from the A9. HTC has also built-in Hyperlapse capturing, which allows to quickly play through a lengthy video recording.
Audio output was also a focus with the A9, something not many smartphone OEM’s are doing. The headphone output has a strong amp, which HTC says will be able to run more difficultly driven headphones. We will also have HiFi audio quality. The digital-to-audio converter (DAC) within the A9 will upscale 16-bit audio to 24-bit and 192KHz. However, fans of the external BoomSound speakers will be sad to know that they were a sacrifice.
So when will you be able to get your hands on the new One A9? Fortunately, pretty soon. HTC said that it will be available in the first week of November across the world. With regard to the US, you’ll be able to find the A9 at major carriers. However, the company is putting an emphasis on the unlocked model.
HTC said that it’s against bloat and inhibiting consumer freedom. Therefore, the unlocked variant of the A9 will come SIM unlocked, bloat-free, and will have an unlocked bootloader straight out of the box (with no voided warranty). That’s a great incentive for folks who like to tinker with their phones, HTC has your back now.
The Uh Oh phone replacement service will continue, giving you peace of mind over the first year of owning the phone. HTC will replace it if it’s damaged, with no deductible. With the A9, there is also an offer to test drive the phone, for up to 30-days for free.
The unlocked A9 can be pre-ordered right now (on HTC.com) for $399, putting it in line with the budget phone competition.
HTC seems to be betting a lot on the One A9, do you think it’s the right direction?
The post HTC unveils the One A9, a premium package for $399 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Check out all that’s new on HTC’s One A9 handset in these advertisements
Following the announcement of HTC’s hot One A9 handset, the company posted a slew of videos showing off all the new features.
HTC’s YouTube account has been on fire in the past few hours. The company is taking the launch of its One A9 a lot more serious than it did with its One M9 earlier this year. The handset will be the first on the market other than Google’s stock Nexus devices to include Android 6.0 pre-installed. To see all the new features, color options and updated specifications, check out the variety of advertisements HTC uploaded via its YouTube account down below.
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Come comment on this article: Check out all that’s new on HTC’s One A9 handset in these advertisements
Where (and when) you can buy the HTC One A9 in the U.S.
An unlocked variant of the new HTC One A9 can already be pre-ordered following the handset’s announcement earlier today. The company is selling the One A9 at a “promotional price” of $399 set to last for a limited time. That price also applies to the carrier variants that operate on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint’s networks. And each of them, with the exception of Sprint skipping Deep Garnet color, will have the One A9 in Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, and Deep Garnet.
Select carriers have committed to selling the One A9 online and in retail stores, too.
Sprint:
Sprint will have the One A9 available to its customers for purchase on November 6. The carrier is also running a promotion through January 7 of next year that allows customers to take HTC’s newest device home for $20 per month for twenty-four months. Customers will also get two monthly service credits of $20 each after activating a new One A9 with their carrier.
AT&T:
The folks over at AT&T did not provide too much regarding the One A9’s availability, simply mentioning that it will be “in retail stores nationwide and online at http://www.att.com” with pricing and a release date to follow at a later time.
T-Mobile:
T-Mobile has not yet commented on selling the One A9.
Verizon:
Verizon has not yet commented on selling the One A9. However, PC Mag reports that this is the first non-CDMA phone to work on Verizon’s network.
Come comment on this article: Where (and when) you can buy the HTC One A9 in the U.S.
HTC’s unlocked One A9 will get ‘every’ Android update soon after Nexus
HTC has a lot riding on the success of its new One A9, so it’s no surprise it’s busy trying to sweeten the deal. To that end, HTC US president chimed in at the end of the phone’s live unveiling to mention that the unlocked version of the A9 will get the “every” Android update “within 15 days” of when it first gets pushed to Google’s own Nexus devices. Sounds great, right? Still, we’re still left wondering about a few things.
We’ve reached out to HTC for more detail, but at this point there’s no telling how many asterisks were secretly loaded in Mackenzie’s proclamation. The biggest question right now is how seriously HTC is taking the word “every” — the A9 already runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, making it one of the first non-Nexus phones to ship with the new software. How long can we reasonably expect the company to prioritize such snappy OTA updates? HTC’s revamped vision for Sense will certainly help keep turn-around times lower than before — remember, they’ve stripped out some of their own first-party apps like Mail and Music in favor of an experience that’s a bit closer to stock Android. It’s also unclear whether unlocked phones from non-US markets will get the same sort of treatment, or if it’s going to another America-only treat like the company’s generous Uh-Oh accident protection. Anyway, there’s no putting this cat back in the bag, HTC — tell us all the things.
Check out Mackenzie’s unequivocal statement at 46:44 below:
Unlocked HTC One A9: software upgrades within 15 days of every Nexus update
Today HTC took the wraps off its new hero device, the HTC One A9. While the phone isn’t exactly a “flagship” by the traditional sense, it does offer some compelling features including a high-end metallic design, Marshmallow out of the box, a fingerprint scanner, and more. One other big change? The unlocked version of the One A9 will not only have a unlocked bootloader that won’t void the warranty, it’ll also get almost Nexus-fast updates.
In an official Tweet, HTC revealed that the unlocked A9 will get “every software update within 15 days of Google’s first push to Nexus.” That’s a pretty bold claim, especially since HTC fell behind on its 90 days promise back in the days of Lollipop.
.@JasonMacHTC: The One A9 unlocked edition will provide every software update within 15 days of Google’s first push to Nexus. #BeBrilliant
— HTC (@htc) October 20, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
For what it is worth, we’ve seen HTC push more and more of its apps to the Play Store, decoupling them from Sense. With the promise of 15 day updates, perhaps HTC has found a way to push away even more of the HTC Sense experience from base Android? After all, it’s generally the “customized parts” of the UI that slows OEMs down when it comes to launching new updates.
See also: Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates roundup – October 15, 2015
What if HTC can hold true to the promise? The HTC One A9 will be one of the most modder-friendly devices on the market, offering fast updates and an easily unlockable bootloader. Of course, it’s specs aren’t exactly the kind power users dream of, though there’s more to a good phone than the specs. For more casual consumers used to iPhone’s update policies and for those that fear the dreaded (and exaggerated) “fragmentation issue” of Android, the addition of fast and frequent Android updates will also likely be welcomed.
See also: HTC One A9 first impressions: trying some new things
What do you think of the HTC One A9, and its near-Nexus update promise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
HTC One A9 now available for pre-order for just $399.99
HTC has just taken the wraps off its new One A9 handset, and we were lucky enough to go hands-on with it. If you’ve already decided that the One A9 is right for you, you can now pre-order the device from HTC.com for just $399.99.
The unlocked version of the device is available for $399.99 in Opal Silver and Carbon Grey color options with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage, with the Deep Garnet color variant arriving in the United States “in the coming weeks.” Right now there are two different versions of the unlocked One A9 to choose from – one that works with Sprint, and another SKU that works with T-Mobile and AT&T. The SKU that works with T-Mobile and AT&T will get a software update that will allow use of the phone on Verizon’s network using LTE only with a previously activated SIM, giving support for full voice, data, SMS, and MMS.
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See also: HTC One A9 officially announced: everything you need to know
During the One A9’s announcement, the company revealed that the unlocked version would get “every software update within 15 days of Google’s first push to Nexus,” which is certainly a bold claim. Timely software updates are something HTC has pretty much always struggled with, so this is certainly good news for HTC fans. The One A9 also comes with HTC’s Uh-Oh protection plan, as well as 6 months of free Google Play Music All Access if you choose to buy through HTC.com.
HTC Unveils the One A9, an iPhone Lookalike That Runs the Latest Version of Android
HTC today announced its latest flagship Android smartphone, the HTC One A9. Priced at just $399, the One A9 looks remarkably like an iPhone 6/6s, taking many design cues from Apple’s most recent devices.
The A9 has a 5-inch screen with a curved-edge display, so it fits right in between the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus, and it includes the same antenna bands and a protruding rear camera, both design choices that haven’t exactly been universally popular on the iPhone. The aluminum body comes in colors that are similar to the iPhone color lineup, available in Opal Silver and Carbon Gray.
A Topaz Gold shade is available internationally, and a Deep Garnet color will be available later in the year. When it comes to thickness, the A9 One measures in at 7.26mm, putting it on par with the 7.1mm iPhone 6s and 7.3mm iPhone 6s Plus.
The design similarities between the iPhone 6 and the HTC A9 are only external. The A9 runs the latest version of Android, Marshmallow, and it’s equipped with a four-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon 617 processor, up to 3GB RAM, and a 13-megapixel rear camera. There’s also a 4-pixel front-facing camera and it ships with up to 32GB of storage that can be expanded to 2TB with a microSD card.
The HTC One A9 compared to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, via The Verge
Like many smartphones available these days, the One A9 has a fingerprint scanner to unlock the phone without a passcode, and it has built-in DAC to convert 16-bit audio to 24-bit high-resolution audio.
HTC is accepting pre-orders for the One A9 on its website. The phone is priced at $399 and is available unlocked.
Here’s how much the HTC One A9 will cost in the UK
Just over an hour ago, HTC took to the stage to unveil its latest smartphone, the A9, at an exclusive press conference in New York. During the event, the Taiwanese company disclosed that the device is targeted at the American market, but also revealed that it will be launching in the UK, too.
Unfortunately, those on this side of the pond will receive a slightly less-impressive variant of the A9 for a much steeper price. £429.99, which equates to approx $665, will get us a device with just 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. Whilst customers in the States will be paying $399, which is roughly £258, for a unit with 32GB of flash memory and 3GB of RAM.
Come comment on this article: Here’s how much the HTC One A9 will cost in the UK
HTC announces the One A9 with guranteed 15 day Google software updates and so much more
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HTC took to a different kind of stage today to announce the new HTC One A9 smartphone. the presentation wasn’t all about specs, although they did touch on the audio amplier in the headphone jack and the AMOLED display with Gorilla glass 4. Instead they focused on a plethora of other perks. We will get to all the official specs when we have a bit more time later tonight. For now, here are some of the details that might interest you.
The HTC One A9 unlocked version of the device is set to be available for pre-order today through HTC.com. I just looked and didn’t see it yet, so be patient. The unlocked version goes a bit further than most. HTC states it is SIM unlocked and will support all carriers, much like the Moto X Pure Edition does. It goes beyond just sim unlocked though, as the bootloader can be unlocked. Nothing new there, however unlocking the bootloader on the One A9 will not void your warranty. That is pretty stellar news. The unlocked variant also gets Uh-Oh protection to cover your device from accidents too.
The other huge news that just might give HTC a step up on this device was update timelines. HTC is committing to pushing out whatever version of Android Google puts on their Nexus line to the HTC One A9 with-in 15 days of it going out. That makes the HTC One A9 the first ever non Nexus device, or Play Edition device, to gain the latest Android OS in an exceptionally fast timeline. As the announcement hinted, the One A9 is launching with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box as well.
If you are wanting to get your pre-order in for the new HTC One A9, unlocked, you will be looking at an introductory price of $399.99. You will have the choice of Opal Silver or Carbon Gray, with Deep Garnet and topaz Gold coming in a few weeks.
I caught a bit more during the drive to work, like SD card support, but those were the initial things that really hit my brain as important. Of course specs, battery life, actual camera results and more are going to be important as well. I will get more put together later in the day for everyone. If you don’t want to wait on me, head over to the HTC One A9 page for all the details and get a pre-order in.
The post HTC announces the One A9 with guranteed 15 day Google software updates and so much more appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
The HTC One A9 is finally official, costs $399.99 for a limited time
It goes without saying, the HTC One M9 was a big disappointment. But now HTC is here to try and redeem itself with the HTC One A9, a 5-inch Android 6.0 smartphone. The Taiwanese-company this time around is following the path of Motorola and offering its device unlocked for a “promotional price” of $399.99.
Of course, that’s not to say HTC is ditching carries. On the contrary, the One A9 will be making its way to all four US carriers, with one model covering AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Another model will be available at Verizon, covering a different set of bands for the carrier.
Here’s some of the specs the One A9 is sporting:
- Snapdragon 617 Octa-core CPU
- 5-inch Super AMOLED 1080p display
- Gorilla Glass 4
- 3GB of RAM
- 16/32GB of internal storage
- microSD support
- 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS
- Front 4MP UltraPixel camera
- HTC BoomSound
- 2,150mAh battery
- Android 6.0
The HTC One A9 will launch worldwide the first week of November. You’ll have to look at your respective carriers for specific pricing and availability, but if you’re looking at buying the One A9 unlocked, you’ll be able to get it straight from HTC for the aforementioned promotional price of $399.99. It will be available in Topaz Gold, Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, and Deep Garnet, varying by market, of course.
Is the HTC One A9 the savior the Taiwanese-based company needs? We’re not entirely sure just yet. The One A9 is certainly an identical clone of the iPhone 6, and hardly meets the specifications we’ve come to expect from flagships. But does HTC really have the marketing power of Samsung or Apple to get the One A9’s name out there? We’ll have to wait and see.
Those interested can pre-order the device here for the $399.99. HTC did call it “promotional pricing” so it will presumably get more expensive in the near future.
Press release below.
NEW YORK – Oct. 20, 2015 – HTC today unveiled the latest addition to the award-winning HTC One family, the HTC One A9. Melding the best of HTC’s acclaimed design and innovation with the latest from Google’s Android, this is a stunning, no-compromise smartphone that stands out from the crowd. Built for people who want a better choice, the HTC One A9 is a smartphone that combines striking design on the outside with the newest features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense on the inside to create an unrivaled smartphone experience.
“HTC is a smartphone pioneer, having delivered the first Android smartphone, the first Windows smartphone, the first 4G smartphone, and the first all-metal smartphone,” said Cher Wang, chairwoman and CEO, HTC. “Today we’re taking that heritage of innovation to the next level, unveiling a phone that stands apart in a market increasingly dominated by a company which controls every aspect of your phone. The HTC One A9 breaks from this trend by offering an incredible design, fantastic performance, cutting-edge software features and the freedom to take full control of your smartphone experience.”
Metalmorphics: A new standard of all-metal design excellence
An evolution of the iconic HTC One family design, the HTC One A9 draws on the natural beauty around us, by using rich, striking colors and unique finishes – an approach called “metalmorphics.” New curves, refined edges, and precision-cut ridges on the power button flawlessly combine with the super-thin metal frame giving the phone a natural and lightweight feel. The elegant dual finish, available in a Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, Topaz Gold and Deep Garnet1, is painstakingly brushed with hairline detail and bead-blasted before the sides are polished, giving additional depth and richness that is unique in the smartphone market. Finally, in a stunning fusion of metal and glass, a 5-inch, edge-to-edge, 2.5D Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4, Full HD AMOLED screen cascades into the metal frame, giving you brighter and more vivid colors for brilliant graphics and gaming, even in direct sunlight.
Unleash your inner photographer
Your best camera is the one you use whenever the moment strikes, so it should be able to capture stunning shots in any situation. The HTC One A9’s front and rear cameras, coupled with powerful yet simple editing tools, mean epic photos and videos are only a tap away. Its main 13MP rear camera features Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which automatically minimizes hand shake and corrects vibrations to give you a crystal-clear picture every time. Meanwhile, the front UltraPixel camera delivers the best self-portraits in any lighting condition, using HTC’s UltraPixel sensor to capture 300% more light than conventional smartphone cameras.
With the HTC One A9, no detail is too small. Offering an optional Pro mode to capture the perfect photo without being a photography expert, you can also save photos using RAW capture – a tool used by professional photographers – for an unmatched level of detail and post-shot editing flexibility. Or you can keep things simple with Photo Editor’s one-button enhancement feature, which automatically brightens colors and sharpens edges for unbelievably clear and crisp photos2.
Sometimes a still photo just isn’t enough. With the HTC One A9’s Hyperlapse editing tool you can speed up your videos to 12 times as fast for a dramatic time-lapse effect, creating an immersive video that perfectly captures the moments that matter. Speed through your video or use capture mode to edit in slow motion, highlighting those unforgettable memories. Or use HTC Zoe to easily and automatically mix your best shots and videos into one professional-looking highlight reel that can be shared with friends and family to tell the story of any moment from every angle.
Awesome audio: music the way it’s supposed to sound
Game changing audio has always been core to the HTC One family – the HTC One A9 delivers amazing sound quality, with HTC BoomSound™ integrated into the headset combined with Dolby Audio™ surround technology3, delivering immersive, vibrant sound that matches a live experience in your headphones by taking high-resolution audio to the next level4. With a built-in DAC that delivers audio at 24-bit, 192KHz quality – better than CD quality – it provides a richness and depth like you’ve never before heard from your music collection. A powerful high-output headphone amplifier, with double the output of other handsets, provides more power and dynamic range so you can hear every nuance of your favorite music, videos and games. Optional high-resolution audio certified HTC Pro Studio Earphones deliver both noise isolation and truly immersive sound.
Cutting-edge software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
The first non-Nexus smartphone powered by Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the HTC One A9 brings Google’s latest innovations and the simplicity of HTC Sense right out of the box. Combined with a multi-directional fingerprint scanner, Android Pay makes purchasing items as secure and as easy as “tap, pay, done.”5 Google’s Now on Tap feature also intuitively provides contextual information about whatever is on your screen – look up reviews for a movie from a text, hear a song mentioned in a blog post, or book seats at a restaurant from an email, all at the press of the home button.
With so many new features, the HTC One A9 has also been designed with all new power-saving capabilities to maximize battery life. Doze automatically turns off power hungry applications when your phone is left idle, such as when charging overnight, while App Standby knows when an app open in the background isn’t being used and shuts it down until you need it again. In addition, the phone’s new processor, AMOLED screen and support for the optional HTC Rapid Charger 2.0, for up to 75% faster charging6 are all optimized to maximize battery life throughout the day7. In real terms this means, for example, that you can play 12 hours of HD video on one charge.
Performance designed for the way YOU use your phone
Featuring the newest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 617 processor with integrated X8 LTE and 64-bit octa-core CPUs, the HTC One A9 is designed to deliver a perfect balance of powerful performance, fast connectivity and better battery life. With support for epic LTE wireless speeds through next-generation carrier aggregation technology, it delivers more high-definition streaming videos, more pulse-pounding high-resolution audio and more storage in the cloud to hold everything your heart desires. The phone is available in both 16 and 32GB configurations and features expandable memory, supporting up to 2TB in SD card storage, perfect for storing all your apps, games, photos, music and videos.
To protect your smartphone, pair it with the HTC Dot View™ II case, available in Obsidian, Deep Garnet, Sea Coral and Turquoise Blue. Its retro-inspired dot matrix cover reveals instant notifications, weather updates, caller ID and more, even while closed, and simple gesture controls bring music, flashlight, radio and voice recording tools closer than ever.
The HTC One A9 and accessories will be available worldwide, both at retailers and at htc.com, beginning November 2015.
U.S. Availability
In the U.S., the HTC One A9 will be available across multiple carriers and retailers. They will announce colors, availability and pricing for their respective channels. In addition, HTC will be making a special Unlocked edition available on www.HTC.com. This edition will be SIM Unlocked and will also allow you to unlock the bootloader without voiding your warranty, giving our customers an even greater level of freedom. And, in order for customers to experience our best-in-class sound quality, this version will come with 6 months of unlimited music on Google Play Music and UH OH Protection, which includes one free replacement within the first 12 months of ownership for a cracked screen, water damage or carrier switch. You can pre-order the HTC One A9 on htc.com today for a special, limited time promotional price of $399.99 and it will be available in Opal Silver and Carbon Gray initially. Deep Garnet and Topaz Gold will be made available in the coming weeks.
Come comment on this article: The HTC One A9 is finally official, costs $399.99 for a limited time
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