M8

It was reported last month that the HTC One (M8) and original HTC One (M7) would be receiving an update to Android Lollipop within 90 days of receiving the latest operating system build from Google. Consider that countdown started. HTC this afternoon tweeted that it has received the source code for Lollipop and will be releasing the update three months from today as expected.
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We’re getting very close to HTC’s upcoming October 8th event, but that doesn’t mean the company will stop posting teasers for the products it plans to announce. We’re already well aware of the GoPro-like REcamera the company plans to unveil, and we’ve also heard whispers of a new One (M8) variant with improved camera capabilities. This afternoon, HTC posted a teaser GIF on Twitter, saying “Don’t adjust your screen. Just focus on the date.”

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HTC, which started losing money last October, has kept its promise to return to the black in Q2 this year according to unaudited figures revealed in a brief statement.

Unaudited quarterly revenue was NT$65.06 billion and net profit before tax was NT$2.76 billion. Operating profit was NT$2.43 billion, and net profit after tax was NT$2.26 billion

The company said in February that it planned to follow Samsung’s lead in making handsets across all price-points, stating that it had “missed a huge chunk of the mid-tier market.” Revealing further losses in April, the company said that it expected to return to profit in Q2 thanks to both new mid-range phones like the Desire 816 and its well-regarded flagship One M8 … 
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There have been so many rumors surrounding the launch of a premium HTC One M8 that it’s almost hard to keep track of them all. Initially labeled as the HTC One M8 Prime, this device was said to feature a QHD display with specifications that would outweigh HTC’s recent One M8 release.

Tonight, renowned leaker Evleaks claimed that the Prime has been officially canned by HTC and we won’t be seeing a public launch any time soon. In a way this report is accurate. The “One M8 Prime” is not and never has been the official name of the device in question. According to our sources, however, the actual phone referred to by that title is still in development…

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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.

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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.
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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. 

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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.

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Given that the original HTC One (M7) was available in various colors, it only seems likely that its successor will also be offered in a variety of shades. Notorious Twitter leaker @evleaks has leaked a picture of the HTC One (M8) in a new red color. The device will reportedly be a Verizon exclusive, as evident by the Verizon and 4G LTE branding on the back.

The back of the device is entirely red, with the exception of the branding, camera, and a few black accents. Unlike the red Nexus 5, the front of the device is also red, aside from a small black bezel around the display.

Other than the new red color, the device has the same Sense 6 overlay, Duo Camera, BoomSound speakers, and unibody design. We wouldn’t expect to wait too long for an official announcement from Verizon and/or HTC.

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HTC’s future imaging plans revolve around the selfie market and optical zoom coming to smartphones, according to the company’s camera expert Symon Whitehorn. In an interview with Vodaphone (via Android Central), Whitehorn made various points, including his thoughts on 4K in smartphones, future applications of optical zoom, and the importance of the front-facing camera in the company’s attempt to clench the “selfie market.”
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The HTC One M8’s build quality is quite an accomplishment, but such a snazzy design comes with a high price tag. However, if rumors are true, HTC could soon offer an affordable plastic version of its new flagship phone. Perhaps in an effort to compete with Samsung’s new Galaxy S5 or maybe taking its cues from Apple’s iPhone 5c, the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer is reportedly planning to release a plastic version of the M8 as early as next month.

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We already got launch details from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, and now the last of the major US carriers, T-Mobile, has confirmed pricing and availability for HTC’s new One (M8) smartphone.

Unlike the three other carriers which are all already selling the HTC One M8 for $199 on contract, T-Mobile’s version of the device arrives on April 11 through online and brick and mortar locations. It will sell for $0 down and $26.50 per month on instalment plans (a similar financing plan is also offered by AT&T’s and Verizon), which brings the total cost of the device up to $636, slightly less than the unlocked $700 asking price for the Google Play Edition selling through Google.

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The reviews of the just announced new HTC One (M8) are officially out, and as of right now, it looks like HTC has a hit on its hands. Reviewers are praising the device’s stunning Gunmetal design, as well as its 5-inch display. Some reviewers, however, aren’t that big of a fan of the highly touted camera, saying its quality is often hit or miss and the software is somewhat clunky.

Gizmodo

Like last year’s One, the 2014 edition (HTC is calling it the “HTC One (M8)” but we think that’s ultimately more confusing) is machined from a solid block of aluminum, but it’s even more metal this time. Last year’s had a fair amount of plastic in the edges of the device, but this year it’s pretty much metal everywhere you look. It’s also had some of its sharp edges ground out, and you’re left with a smoother, slightly rounder device. It’s incredibly solid and it feels like it could take a bullet in the back and keep on going (it probably couldn’t, don’t try that, thank you).

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After unveiling its new flagship second-generation HTC One, the company just announced availability for the device on stage at its event in New York. The device will arrive in the US and Canada in the first couple of weeks of April through all major carrier partners, but starting today at 1PM EST you can pick one up online through HTC as previously revealed. It will also be available through select Verizon stores starting today.

The company announced the phone will be coming to a handful of countries before the end of April including Australia, Taiwan, UK, Germany, France, China, and the US. HTC didn’t mention a timeframe for the 100+ countries and 230+ carriers shown in the image above, but it did say the new HTC One M8 would be “the single largest product rollout in HTC’s history.”

Sense 6 will arrive for the last generation HTC One lineup, including the One mini and Max, this Spring. In addition, HTC Advantage is getting the free screen replacement program (as well as the latest version of Android promised for two years) that was previously rumored.

If you’re planning on picking up the new HTC One today, you can do so here starting at 1PM EST.

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We’re live from New York at HTC’s unveiling of the new HTC One (M8) and the company has now officially unveiled the new flagship smartphone. The company has spent the starting of its presentation talking about the HTC One’s high-quality metal construction that it described as “like a premium watch,” as well as the new Gunmetal Gray Hairline Finish pictured above. It also shared a few specs for the device (below) before moving on to its new customized version of Android, Sense 6 (or 6th Sense).

One of the big announcements for Sense 6 is that HTC is opening up its Blinkfeed homescreen to developers with a new SDK releasing today. Foursquare will be the first partner to support the feature and will publish, for example, lunch recommendations into the Blinkfeed homescreen, while Fitbit will display activity milestones in the feed. HTC is hoping other app developers will follow with support.

We have most of the hardware specs below (no huge surprises), but HTC also spent a lot of time talking about small tweaks you might not see in the specs list like much improved sound quality through a combination of redesigned speaker chambers and software tweaks. HTC also mentioned some big improvements for the camera including a new camera switcher (pictured in the gallery below) with new “dual capture”, “selfie”, and “customizable manual” shooting modes. The M8 also features a 300 millisecond focus time that’s 50% faster than the previous generation.

Sales for the new HTC One (M8) will kick off today in the US and Canada. Details on availability for other countries and carriers are available here.

Check out the official specs from HTC and some shots from the event below:

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HTC’s event is about to kick off at 11AM ET, and it looks like the company just revealed that its new flagship second-ten HTC One (M8) smartphone will go on sale starting 1PM EDT today. A page for the device on HTC’s online store not only confirms the device goes on sale at 1PM, but also that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint will all be partners at launch. Purchases through HTC’s site will get free express shipping and the company is also giving away 65GB Google Drive storage for two years with every purchase. The page also makes mention of the Google Play Edition we told you about earlier and four color variants including “gun metal gray, silver, gold, and black.”

It’s unclear if the new HTC One will be available at 1PM through all carrier partners or just HTC’s site, or if the Google Play Edition will launch alongside the standard model. You can catch HTC’s livestream of the event here at 11AM ET or stay tuned to 9to5Google for all the official details.

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