HTC

The HTC One mini 2 is rumored to hit the US as the HTC One Remix and although we’ve officially seen the former, we’ve yet to see it materialize with any carrier branding. Today, however, we’re getting a closer look at what might be heading to Verizon thanks to the often reliable @evleaks. If in fact the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer decides to bring its petite smartphone to the US, it’ll most likely be coated with Big Red’s emblem.

Expand
Expanding
Close

After several weeks of rumors and leaks, the cheaper plastic version of the HTC One M8 also known as the “Ace” has surfaced on HTC’s website. Aptly named the E8, this budget-friendly take on the company’s current flagship smartphone appears to retain its high-end counterpart’s BoomSound speakers, but it lacks the Duo Camera setup offered by the M8.

Expand
Expanding
Close

There’s a lot of talk about HTC releasing a “Prime” variant of the One M8, but until now we haven’t heard much outside of rumors/speculation and some alleged renders leaked by Evleaks. 9to5Google has now learned that HTC actually has two new variants on the way, “Plus” and “Advance,” and it does have plans to release a version of its flagship M8 smartphone branded with one of those labels.

Expand
Expanding
Close

There’s leaks, and then there’s this. @evleaks has posted a full, rotating render of the HTC M8 Prime. The Prime is rumored to have updated specs and a larger design in order to better compete with the LG G3, rumored Galaxy S5 Prime, and a larger iPhone later this year. The full render is included after the break.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Photo: USA Today

According to a court filing discovered by Reuters, Apple and Google’s Motorola Mobility unit have agreed to settle their ongoing smartphone patent litigation battle against each other. In a statement, the two companies said that this agreement does not include the ability cross license each other’s patents, but rather the promise to “work together in some areas of patent reform.”

The two tech giants have been battling it out over various patents for several years now, both directly and indirectly. It’s important to note, however, that this agreement is solely between Apple, Google, and its Motorola Mobility unit. This does not apply to any lawsuits between Android device manufacturers, such as Samsung and HTC, and Apple. Although theoretically, it would apply to patents owned by Google that device manufacturers are licensing.

A verdict was reached in the latest Apple v Samsung battle just a few weeks ago, with Apple being ruled as the victor, albeit small. The court ruled that Samsung owed Apple $119 million, which is far less than the $2 billion it was seeking.

Expand
Expanding
Close

The HTC One mini 2 has officially been announced. This compact smartphone takes on a similar design when compared to the One (M8), but in a smaller form-factor. It’s definitely an upgrade over the previous One mini, but with its size comes downgraded specifications.

The HTC One mini 2 packs a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4.5-inch 720p display, 16GB of storage (with an expandable SD card slot), and a a 2,100mAh battery. You’re also getting the same 5-megapixel front-facing camera, a 13-megapixel rear shooter, and HTC’s famous BoomSound speakers.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Last month, HTC acknowledged a bug that blocked its Advantage customers from redeeming 50GB of Google Drive storage space. The Taiwanese manufacturer advised that it was working on a fix for the matter and said that it expected a patch to be ready a few weeks later. Today, the company announced that AT&T had approved an update for the HTC One M8 and that users could download the update and claim their cloud storage. 

Expand
Expanding
Close

Coming roughly a week after the Nexus 8’s “Flounder” codename was shown off in Chromium’s source code, we now have a reference to the “Nexus 6” (via Florian Kiersch).

The Nexus 6 reference can still be seen on the Code Review page, under the new code section. There is also a reference to the Nexus 8 in the older code. The Nexus 8 is expected to be produced by HTC, as earlier leaks have suggested. The “8” is also likely a reference to the screen size, which would make the Nexus 8 larger than the ASUS-produced Nexus 7. Beyond this, very little is known about the specifications or ETA of the Nexus 8.

The Nexus 6 is also almost entirely a mystery.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Overall, the HTC J Butterfly had a good showing in several different markets, so why not give it a follow up? HTC might be doing just that, as famed phone leaker @evleaks recently posted a render of a device referred to as the “HTC B2” While there’s only a front-facing shot of this phone, it shows off a whole lot of display real estate. Also worth noting, is that unlike the successor to HTC’s other high-end handset, the B2 appears to be cutting back on the precious metals in favor of a more cost-effective build.

Expand
Expanding
Close

We’ve already heard that HTC may possibly be working on a cheaper plastic version of its HTC One (M8), but how about a broader set of hues for its flagship smartphone? According to the often reliable @evleaks, the Taiwanese phone maker is preparing to reissue the M8 in red, blue and pink. Not too much else was shared about these colorful options, but this wouldn’t be the first time HTC decided to have a little fun with its color palette — remember the purple EVO 3D from Sprint?

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this month, @evleaks tweeted an image of a mysterious device dubbed the HTC M8 Ace. At the time, very few details about it were known. Engadget, however, is now reporting that the HTC M8 Ace will essentially be HTC’s answer to the Galaxy S5, but cheaper.

Much like the Galaxy S5, the M8 Ace will feature an all-plastic design. The specs will also be nearly identical, with the M8 Ace packing a 5-inch 1080p display and a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Kantar data showed that Android gained more than 8 percent market share in the U.S. and China in the first quarter of 2014, with the same jump in Italy and smaller gains in France & Germany. Android did, however, lose market share in Japan, Australia, Britain and Spain … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

The HTC One (M8) has been one of the most anticipated smartphone releases in 2014. Following the success of the One (M7) wasn’t going to be an easy task, but somehow the company pulled it off. Well, almost. This is nearly one of the best smartphones for your money, but there are a few things that hold the HTC One (M8) just inches away from Android perfection.

With the M8, you’re getting an even better build quality than its predecessor. HTC claims that the One (M8) has a body constructed of 90 percent metal, which is a 20 percent boost over last year’s model. There is nothing about this device that feels cheap. It’s an epic win in the quality department. It may be a little slippery (and look like a stainless steel refrigerator), but overall I’m very happy with the build quality here.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Shortly after shipping its new flagship (and generally well received) smartphone, HTC’s Senior Vice President of design is departing from his role at the company. Scott Croyle, who HTC hired when it acquired his company One and Co. studios six years ago, will be transitioning out of his role as he prepares to focus on non-HTC projects, The Verge reports. As part of his exit, Croyle will consult with the company as his #2, Jonah Becker, takes over his responsibilities, HTC confirmed to the site. The report also shares that Drew Bamford, who leads development of the widely-critiqued Sense user interface, will now be in charge of all software and services…
Expand
Expanding
Close