This year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is bringing us the latest flagship models from the likes of Samsung and LG (the Galaxy S7 and the LG G5, respectively), and we’re likely to see more from Sony tomorrow. However, one company has been rather silent this year. HTC stunned the Android tech world by announcing the company would hold off on unveiling the next phone in their flagship device series (the HTC One M10). It’s hard to yet say if this is a wise move, but it’s undeniable that HTC would be competing with LG, Samsung, and Sony for media coverage and there’s only so much information consumers can handle in a few days.
But that doesn’t mean the company has nothing to offer its smartphone customers. Indeed, the company has opted to beef up its mid-range and specialist smartphone lineup with the unveiling of the HTC One X9 and three new HTC Desire smartphones: the Desire 530, Desire 630, and Desire 825.
HTC One X9
Credits: James Vincent/The Verge
| Technology | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Display | 5.5″ Super LCD @ 1080p (401ppi) with Gorilla Glass |
| SoC | MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 (octa-core Cortex-A53) |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB onboard, with micro-SD expansion slot |
| Camera | 13 MP, f/2.0 aperture, 27.9mm focal length. Records up to 4K video. |
| Connectivity | Dual sim |
| Audio | Dual front-facing BoomSound speakers |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense UI |
| Colors | Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, Topaz Gold, and Cooper Rose |
The One X9 is HTC’s latest mid-range offering. While it doesn’t offer flagship specs, the One X9 excels where HTC has traditionally excelled at – the design. The device offers a brushed metal back that should feel soft and glossy in the palm of your hand.
HTC is continuing its “metalmorphic” design philosophy with smooth metal curves and finishes. The device resembles the One A9 from the end of 2015, but with more side buttons and flaps for the expansion slots and a camera flush with the back of the device. The phone has dual front-facing speakers and three capacitive buttons on the bottom.
The phone will go on sale in several North Asian markets and a few European, African, and Middle Eastern nations. HTC has not mentioned a price for this device, but given the specs they’ve included it’s likely to be priced competitively with other mid-rangers.
HTC Desire 530, 630, and 825
Credits: GSMArena
| Technology | Desire 530 | Desire 630 | Desire 825 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5″ Super LCD @ 720p | 5″ Super LCD @ 720p | 5.5″ Super LCD @ 720p |
| Processor | 1.1GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 | 1.6 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 | 1.6 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 |
| RAM | 1.5 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| MicroSD | Up to 2TB | Up to 2TB | Up to 2TB |
| Connectivity | MicroUSB 2.0 Bluetooth 4.1 Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) NFC (availability varies by region) |
MicroUSB 2.0 Bluetooth 4.1 Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) |
MicroUSB 2.0 Bluetooth 4.1 Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz) |
| Cameras | 8MP rear camera 5MP front camera |
13MP rear camera 5MP front camera |
13MP rear camera 5MP front camera |
| Battery | Non-removable 2200mAh | Non-removable 2200mAh | Non-removable 2200mAh
Fast-charing |
| SIM | Nano SIM | Dual Nano SIM | Single / Dual Nano SIM |
| Sound | HTC BoomSound profile for headset | Hi-Res Audio certified HTC BoomSound profile for headset Dolby Audio 5 |
HTC BoomSound speaker
Hi-Res Audio certified Dolby Audio 5 |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense | Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense | Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense |
| Dimensions | 146.9 x 70.9 x 8.3mm 140g |
146.9 x 70.9 x 8.3mm 140g |
156.9 x 76.9 x 7.4mm 155g |
| Colors | Graphite Grey, Solid Stratus White | Stratus White Remix with duo color micro splash, Graphite Gray Remix with gold micro splash | Stratus White Remix with duo color micro splash, Graphite Gray Remix with gold micro splash |
Credits to AndroidAuthority’s Jimmy Westenberg for compiling these specs
HTC’s Desire lineup is aimed to please consumers looking to purchase an eye-popping smartphone. HTC states that the inspiration for the design comes from “urban street wear.” They’ve come up with a micro splash effect on the back of the polycarbonate casing. The Desire 630 and 825 will be available in what HTC calls “Stratus White Remix” with a duo colored micro splash and a color called “Graphite Grey Remix” with a gold-painted micro splash effect. The Desire 530 will only be offered in Graphite Grey and Solid Stratus White solid block colors.
These phones are beautifully designed and should be a good choice for consumers who are looking for an aesthetically pleasing design on their phone. Just don’t slap on a case if you want others to have a glimpse at your phone. But if you really wanted to, you can get a specially made two-tone snap case from HTC that fits the aesthetics of the phone. Oh, and you can also pick up a colorful lanyard if that’s what you want.
While you do get the latest version of Android in the form of 6.0 Marshmallow, the specs are fairly mid-range. You get all of HTC’s standard bells and whistles like HTC’s SensorHub and BoomSound on top of HTC’s custom Sense UI. The processors, RAM, and storage capacities are nothing to write home about but should satisfy the average customer. Hopefully we’ll see this kind of design aesthetic make its way into higher end flagships in the future, but for now you’ll have to make some spec sacrifices to get your hands on a fashionable smartphone. Keep a look out for the device to make its way to retailers and on HTC’s website sometime during March. We don’t have pricing information yet, but expect a slight cut above standard mid-range pricing due to the premium HTC will likely charge for the design.
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