The HTC One X, One S, and One V made their collective grand debut at MWC 2012 in Barcelona this year. After only a month's wait, the two higher-end devices were out on the European market and announced for the US in various forms: a dual-core One X variant for AT&T, a similarly-specced but retitled Evo 4G LTE for Sprint, and the more or less unchanged One S for T-Mobile. This stream will help you track their progress to launch as well as cataloging our reviews as when new members of the One series become available.
May 24, 2013
HTC One 'Google Edition' with stock Android reportedly in the works
HTC may follow Samsung's lead and produce a "Google Edition" of its latest flagship smartphone running stock Android. According to sources that spoke to Russell Holly at Geek, work on a version of the HTC One without its Sense software customizations is underway, with a US launch said to be "imminent." Holly previously leaked accurate information on the Galaxy S4 Google Edition ahead of its announcement at the I/O conference.
Read Article >HTC's chief product officer Kouji Kodera told The Verge last year that the company is "very proud of HTC Sense," and would "like to continue shipping it on every device." However, Kodera was one of many employees to recently leave HTC, and earlier this year the company released the First smartphone with the option to run stock Android in Facebook Home's place.
Sep 7, 2012
HTC unveils the One SC, an unusually designed smartphone for China
From the front HTC's One SC looks right at home alongside the company's One series of Android 4.0 smartphones launched earlier this year, but flip it over and it's a whole other story. The SC has a unique segmented design dominated by an HTC logo set into a ridged pattern, with a separate metallic section housing the camera and flash.
Read Article >Inside, however, the phone is pretty run of the mill, with a 1Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 5-megapixel camera. The asymmetrical design is nothing if not eye-catching, but for now the phone is only set to see release in China. Next to the Japan-only HTC J, we'd say it's a toss-up as to which country got the better deal.
Jun 5, 2012
PlayStation Suite is now PlayStation Mobile, HTC first third-party hardware partner
Read Article >Sony has just announced it will be partnering with HTC to create PlayStation Suite-certified phones — a program it is renaming PlayStation Mobile. While no specific phones were mentioned, the new HTC One X was held up as an example of the collaboration, as well as being featured in a slide promoting the partnership. PlayStation Suite was announced last year, and the developer program went into open beta this past April. The focus up until this point, however, had been on Sony Ericsson — now Sony Mobile — devices. The move to third-party partnerships, particularly with a manufacturer of HTC's stature, changes the program's potential drastically, and could open up a significant new venue for PlayStation Mobile gaming. We'll be visiting Sony during E3 to see what devices they're showing off in connection with the program — and to see if we can try our hand at some PlayStation gaming on a One X.
May 4, 2012
Some HTC One X AT&T pre-orders arriving early
AT&T is set to launch the HTC One X on Sunday in the US, but we've gotten word that at least one of our lucky readers has received an email indicating his pre-order is out for delivery right now. A discussion over at AndroidCentral corroborates this, with a number of users reporting an unexpected visit from UPS. There doesn't seem to be any sort of geographic rhyme or reason to the early arrivals, so we'd recommend anyone who's already forked out the carrier's $199 asking price take another peek at their tracking data. Should it turn out you're not one of the lucky ones, take solace in knowing the wait for what's arguably the best Android device on any carrier is almost over — assuming you haven't been swayed by the competition.
Read Article >Thanks, mpschumacher!
Apr 30, 2012
T-Mobile promises fix for HTC One S Wi-Fi calling battery drain
Read Article >T-Mobile has said that a fix is on the way for an issue that affects the HTC One S' battery life when using the Wi-Fi calling feature. We hadn't heard much about the problem ourselves, and didn't run into it in our review, but the carrier says that it'll be resolved in a forthcoming software update anyway. In the meantime, T-Mobile advises keeping your phone plugged in when making calls over Wi-Fi. No word on when that update will be released, but it's good to see the carrier getting ahead of the issue — as well as drawing attention to an under-supported feature that doesn't seem to get much love from many.
Apr 18, 2012
HTC One X will be available at AT&T on May 6th for $199.99, pre-orders begin April 22nd
Read Article >We've been waiting since Mobile World Congress to find out when HTC's flagship One X smartphone would arrive in the US, and we finally have an answer: it'll be available exclusively from AT&T on May 6th for $199.99, with the requisite two-year contract. Just as we've heard all along, it'll be nearly identical to the international version, with the notable exceptions of LTE and a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (as opposed to the Tegra 3 residing in the international version). AT&T users will get the same Android 4.0 plus Sense 4 experience, complete with Beats Audio and HTC's ImageSense camera software and 8MP rear shooter. While we don't expect this phone to be a radically different performer than its international counterpart, we're looking forward to putting it though its paces nonetheless.
Apr 14, 2012
HTC One V begins shipping in the UK on April 23rd, according to Carphone Warehouse
Read Article >While the HTC One V may not have the same flashy specs and giant screens as its siblings, the One X and One S, we found it to be a nice revival of the HTC Legend design. While the One S and One X are now widely available, the One V lagged behind a bit — but now Carphone Warehouse is taking pre-orders for the One V, with delivery expected to being the week of April 23rd. It'll be free on contract from Orange, O2, and Vodafone, with minimum monthly bills starting at£20.50. Amazon's UK site corroborates these details — it shows an expected delivery date of April 26th for the One V, and it'll sell unlocked and SIM-free £226.10. If you're on the fence about the smallest member of the One family, keep your eyes peeled for our in-depth review, coming soon.
Apr 11, 2012
HTC responds to One S chipping issues: 'providing all customers with an immediate fix'
It's unclear what HTC means when it says they're "providing all customers with an immediate fix" — we've reached out to the company for clarification — but they're clearly taking a Nokia-esque approach to nipping the complaints in the bud.
Read Article >Update: We've heard back from HTC, and the "immediate fix" is simply to return the One S to the store where you bought it within the DOA period (typically 30 days, though it varies by country). Beyond that, HTC says it'll be happy to fix the phone under the standard warranty terms.
Apr 5, 2012
HTC One X and One S go on sale in UK today
Read Article >While US carriers are busy strapping garish kickstands and silly new names atop the HTC One series, UK phone retailers are getting down to the business of selling the actual handsets. From today, O2, Vodafone, Three, Orange, and T-Mobile are all taking orders for the brand new One X and One S Android 4.0 smartphones from HTC. As usual, Three will give you the most for your money, though O2's new On & On tariff — which the company describes as its best ever — is also worth a look, costing you £36 per month over a two-year contract, but also giving you unlimited minutes and the One X for no upfront cost. Should you be more inclined to buy the handset by itself, Amazon will sell you an unlocked and SIM-free One X for £489.99 (about $780) or a One S in the same contract-free condition for £414.99 ($660). The choice is yours.
Apr 4, 2012
HTC Evo 4G LTE is Sprint's first handset with HD voice, pre-orders start May 7th for $199.99
Read Article >The official release window is Q2 but pre-orders go on sale May 7th — and given Sprint's modus operandi, that likely means its street date is just weeks after that. The Evo 4G LTE will be $199.99 on contract, and yes, data is still unlimited on 4G. If you're lucky to live in one of Sprint's 4G coverage areas. You and all your friends who buy the LG Viper and (maybe) Galaxy Nexus.
Apr 2, 2012
HTC One X review
Batman Begins. The Muppets. James Bond in Casino Royale. What do they have in common? They’re all examples of franchises that got better after a reboot (some will disagree on Casino Royale, but I’m standing my ground). For HTC, that’s exactly what the One series represents: a thorough reboot of the company’s image, philosophy, and hardware. Conservatively speaking, One’s announcement is the most important event in the company’s history since the release of the groundbreaking Evo 4G, and I think you could make the argument that it’s far bigger than that — it’s not just about three interesting new phones, it’s about a new way of doing business. These devices ooze HTC from every nook and cranny: there’s no superfluous, counterproductive meddling in the design process from carriers, no ridiculous names like “Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch.”
Read Article >There were too many cooks in the kitchen, as they say — and with the One X, S, and V, HTC has shooed most of those cooks back into the dining room.
Apr 2, 2012
HTC One S review
Note: Our original review was of the unlocked, GSM One S. We've updated the review with impressions and tests of the $199 (with contract) T-Mobile model as well. Check out the Hardware, Connectivity and Software sections to see the biggest differences between the two devices, which are generally quite similar.
Read Article >When I first saw the HTC One series, in that top secret subterranean bunker where HTC likes to preview its phones, my attention and desire were immediately drawn by the One S. I didn't care about the 4.7-inch, quad-core One X and its supposed flagship position, I wanted to know more about its 4.3-inch ultrathin brandmate. That’s no knock on the One X, which ticks all the boxes for a legitimate Galaxy Nexus competitor, but the 7.8mm thick One S offers a much more mainstream form factor and price point, while also being the thinnest smartphone that HTC has ever made.
Mar 29, 2012
Official: HTC One X, One S, and One V launching April 2nd in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
HTC's One series appears ready for primetime, as the company has just announced all three of its new Android handsets will launch in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on Monday of next week. The One X is the 4.7-inch flagship handset, the One S is the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED midranger, and the One V is the 3.7-inch budget option, though all three run a Sense-skinned Android 4.0 right out of the box. We already knew HTC was targeting early April for the global launch of its One smartphone family, which has been corroborated repeatedly by UK pre-orders pointing to a release next week as well. Now it's just a matter of waiting out the last few days.
Read Article >The recommended prices in the three German-speaking countries announced today are as follows: the One X is priced at €599 or 719 Swiss francs (CHF), the One S will cost €499 / CHF599, and the One V will be €299 / CHF349. Carriers are, of course, free to deviate from the MSRP, and on-contract deals will alter how much you have to pay up front, but those are the guidance numbers for anyone looking to guess at prices for other European markets.
Mar 6, 2012
HTC finds its way: Sense 4 and the One line
HTC's new One series of Android smartphones garnered much of the attention and praise at Mobile World Congress this year. That's partially because the One X, One S, and One V are each compelling phones, but mainly the attention came because the One line represents a significant change in strategy for HTC. For the past few months, HTC has been a company adrift, losing marketshare and mindshare to its competitors.
Read Article >The One series represents HTC’s attempt to get back on course, both in terms of hardware and software. HTC's AVP of User Experience, Drew Bamford, explains that all of HTC is aligned behind the new strategy: "Over the past year there's been a desire across multiple teams to become more focused. [...] That's the result you're seeing in HTC One."
Mar 3, 2012
HTC says Sense UI 'got cluttered' before latest redesign
Read Article >HTC's Sense Android skin was revamped at MWC with Sense 4.0, a lighter version of the UI that focuses on the phone's camera and audio. Now, HTC chief product officer Kouji Kodera admits that the redesign was meant to fight the creep of unnecessary clutter into Sense. "From the original Sense up to Sense 3.5 we added too many things. The original concept was that it had to be simple and it had to be easy to use and we had that philosophy, but over time it got cluttered," said Kodera. "Even on the home screen we had four or five icons before consumers got a chance to add things themselves. For the HTC One range we have taken it down to Sense 2 again."
Feb 28, 2012
HTC's dark materials: hands-on photos with the gray One S, black One X
The black version of the One S is where HTC has set itself apart, applying a process called "micro arc oxidation" that was originally created for satellites. HTC bathes the aluminum body in a plasma field, blasting it with 10,000 volts of electricity to turn the surface into a ceramic that's four times harder and more scratch-resistant than untreated, anodized aluminum. The result is a very dark black finish that feels a bit like a chalkboard — HTC calls it "feathery," but we'd say that's an overly euphemistic way to describe it. HTC showed a video of the process during its keynote, and it's quite a sight to behold:
Read Article >Finally, HTC also had the black version of the HTC One X, which was a pre-production unit and felt very slightly rougher than the white version, but HTC tells us that both are made the same way and the final finish on them will be identical.
Feb 26, 2012
HTC One family portrait
HTC has graced MWC with three new Android smartphones, forming its all-new HTC One series. The One X, One S, and One V all run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with a Sense 4 skin on top. They all feature a significantly enhanced suite of camera software and slim unibody designs. Unfortunately, HTC wouldn't let us see the One V turned on — the software isn't yet final — but you can get a better sense of what the trio look like by seeing them side by side in the galleries and video below.
Read Article >Feb 26, 2012
HTC One V pictures and hands-on preview
HTC's One V is the "budget" offering in its 2012 lineup and has the specs to match: a WVGA screen, 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera, and 4 gigs of storage. There's nothing embarrassing about a phone that's not featuring the latest specs or the thinnest body and that goes double for the One V, which takes the classic HTC Legend form factor and updates it for 2012.
Read Article >The aluminum unibody frame curves around to a glass screen that is not quite flush, at least on the pre-production model we tried. The phone actually felt small and particularly narrow, at least by the "new normal" of super-sized phones in 2012. The prominent chin at the bottom remains as divisive as ever — we're split as to whether it still works as a design choice. We're not split on the screen, which is a straight 3.7-inch LCD and looks great despite being only 480 x 800.
Feb 26, 2012
HTC One S pictures, video and hands-on preview
HTC has shortened startup time for the camera to 0.7 seconds and autofocus time to 0.2 seconds. Onscreen buttons for recording video and stills are now right next to each other (no more mode switching), there's an intelligent burst mode that lets you pick only the best shot, and you can extract stills from video with a single tap. The only thing that would've made this a more appealing phone to camera enthusiasts is a physical shutter button.
Read Article >One of the other ways in which HTC diverges from the stock Android 4.0 experience is by omitting the trio of onscreen menu buttons and instead offering them to you as a set of capacitive keys below the display. That may seem like a retrograde step, but its practical impact is actually positive: moving those buttons off the screen gives you more real estate to work with. Only aesthetics snobs will find reason bemoan this decision. Less forgivable is HTC's decision to leave the One S without a microSD card slot or a user-replaceable battery. While ultrathin phones will necessitate compromises, I hate to see storage and power flexibility being among them.
Feb 26, 2012
HTC One X for AT&T pictures, video, and hands-on preview
HTC's new flagship is here: the HTC One X is in the vanguard of not just the new "One" lineup, but of HTC's mini-revival for 2012. Based on our brief time with it, we think the phone will manage to pull off both of those heavy tasks, though whether it will be enough to fend off Samsung's rumored Galaxy S III is sadly going to be an open question until later this year. For now, the HTC One X impresses on its own terms and specs, and what great specs they are.
Read Article >The first and most important thing about the One X is its screen: a 4.7-inch 720p "Super LCD 2" panel that is simply better than anything we've seen on the market. It's bright and crisp, of course, but as we turned and twisted the phone we were literally unable to come up with a viewing angle that contained any distortion or discoloration.
Feb 26, 2012
HTC One V revives Legend design, adds Android 4.0
Camera performance has been a real priority for HTC with the One series and all three of its newly launched Android handsets come with a selection of important optimizations. Firstly, a dedicated imaging processor has been added to allow the One phones to manipulate pictures before compressing them to JPEG format. HTC expects this to result in lower image noise, greater color accuracy, and higher overall quality.
Read Article >Most of the improvements in the One cameras actually relate to speed. Startup time of the camera app is said to be 0.7 seconds and autofocus takes a blistering 0.2 seconds, making it quicker than the blink of an eye. Holding down the onscreen shutter button (you'll find no physical camera keys on these phones) automatically flips you into burst mode, with an intelligent selection menu then allowing you to pick the best shot of the bunch and discard the rest. There's no longer any need to switch between video and photo modes -- the software buttons for capturing stills and video sit right next to each other now, and HTC's neatest trick is that it also allows you to snap photos while recording video. And if you want to pull out a still from a video recording you've already made, HTC lets you do that too.