Update: July 2014 – The HTC One M8 - the newest HTC is now available through Vodacom. Order online now from R499 per month.
HTC One is entering the major leagues with the release of tits flagship 4.7-inch HTC One smartphone. With a distinctive aluminium body, HTC is focusing on a few key features to entice buyers:
BlinkFeed content stream
The BlinkFeed live stream transforms your home screen into your own personal content stream – much like Flipboard. Depending on your preferences, you'll be able to quickly view social network updates, photos and news. HTC has over 1 400 media partners, meaning BlinkFeed will have access to thousands of articles from top sources including Reuters, Huffington Post, ESPN, Financial Times and more. The idea is that all your favourite content stays in one place and you won't have to open different applications or websites to access it.
Updated camera
HTC's custom-camera has a wide F/2.0 aperture and the company claims it can capture 300% more light than other smartphone camera sensors. This means that low-light photography with the HTC One should be impressive. The camera has a number of other features such as 360 degree panorama mode, object removal and time sequencing. Both the rear and front camera can record HD video.
Another new addition is HTC Zoe which lets users create three-second moving picture snippets using high-res images. With mobile services like Vine – which lets you create and share six-second videos – gaining popularity, HTC is tapping into the growing appeal of these short, animated sequences.
Turn up the volume
HTC is also promoting the sound capabilities of the One. With BoomSound it has introduced dual front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier so that you can share music videos, movies and songs with others.
For the full specs, take a look at the official HTC site .
2012 was not a good year for HTC and the company experienced dismal sales throughout. On the announcement of fourth quarter results last year, HTC CEO Peter Chou told the Wall Street Journal: "Our competitors were too strong and very resourceful, pouring in lots of money into marketing. We haven’t done enough on the marketing front."
Samsung and Apple, which together have 50% of the smartphone market, make it tough for other mobile manufacturers to gain a foothold. And while Samsung will continue to lead the Android market, HTC is hoping that the premium HTC One will be the phone that puts it back on the map.
