HTC One Phones: What You Need to Know

History and details of each release

The HTC One series of phones, introduced in 2013, is the predecessor of the HTC U series of Android phones. These smartphones run the gamut from entry-level budget models to mid-range devices and are sold around the world, though not always in the United States. While the HTC One smartphones are often available unlocked, it's important to check the specifications to determine if a particular model will work on your local cell networks. Here's a look at the array of HTC One smartphone releases.  

HTC One X10

HTC One X10 smartphone.

Display: 5.5-in Super LCD
Resolution: 1080x1920 @ 401ppi
Front camera: 8 MP
Rear camera: 16 MP
Charger type: micro USB
Initial Android version: 6.0 Marshmallow
Final Android version: Undetermined
Release Date: July 2017

The HTC One X10's most prominent feature is its huge 4,000mAh battery that's rated to last up to two days between charges. The smartphone has a full metal casing that HTC says survived hours of exposure to extreme temperatures and drop and scratch tests. It moves the fingerprint sensor from the front to the back of the phone. The sensor integrates with HTC's Boost + App lock; with it, you can lock certain apps using the sensor. You can also tap the sensor to take photo and video selfies.

The front-facing camera has a wide-angle lens so you can cram more friends into your photos and a low-light-friendly primary camera. The HTC One X10 has 32 GB of storage and a microSD card slot. While the X10 ships with Android Marshmallow, it's upgradable to 7.0 Nougat.

HTC One A9 and HTC One X9

HTC One A9 smartphones, seen from back, front, and side

Display: 5.0-in AMOLED
Resolution: 1080x1920 @ 441ppi
Front camera: 4 MP
Rear camera: 13 MP
Charger type: micro USB
Initial Android version: 6.0 Marshmallow
Final Android version: Undetermined
Release Date: November 2015

Like the X10, the A9 is upgradeable to Android Nougat. It also has a fingerprint scanner, but it's on the front of the phone, not the back. It's a mid-range phone with a high-end aluminum body, and decent cameras. It comes with only 16 GB of storage but includes a card slot.

The HTC One X9 is a bigger version of the A9. Other differences include:

  • Its 5.5-in Super LCD screen has a resolution of 1080x1920 @ 401ppi.
  • The front camera has a 5 MP resolution.
  • It was released in January 2016.

The HTC One A9s is another modified version of the One A9, with a slightly better selfie camera, and a few other differences including:

  • A 5.0-in Super LCD with a resolution of 720x1280 @ 294ppi.
  • The front camera has a resolution of 5 MP.
  • It was released in November 2016.

HTC One M9 and HTC One E9

HTC One M9 smartphones, seen from back, front, and side

Display: 5.0-in Super LCD
Resolution: 1080x1920 @ 441ppi
Front camera: 4 MP
Rear camera: 20 MP
Charger type: micro USB
Initial Android version: 5.0 Lollipop
Final Android version: Undetermined
Release Date: March 2015

The HTC One M9 is similar to the M8, but with an upgraded camera. The M9's camera can shoot in RAW format (uncompressed), which gives shooters more flexibility in editing photos. It has manual controls, several scene modes, and a panorama feature. It also supports the bokeh (blurred background) effect, which works best if you're fewer than two feet from your subject. There's also a fun Photo Booth mode that snaps four selfies and arranges them in a square. The M9 has 32 GB of storage and accepts memory cards up to 256 GB.

The HTC One M9+ is slightly larger than the M9, with an improved camera.

  • Its screen is a 5.2-in Super LCD screen with a resolution of 1440x2560 @ 565ppi.
  • The primary camera has a dual sensor with a resolution of  20 MP.
  • It was released in May 2015.

The HTC One M9+ Supreme Camera is also a bit bigger than the M9 and has a more advanced camera. Differences include:

  • Like the M9+, it has a 5.2-in Super LCD screen with a resolution of 1440x2560 @ 565ppi.
  • The primary camera has a resolution of 21 MP.
  • It was released in October 2015.

The HTC One M9s is nearly identical to the M9, but with a downgraded primary camera, and a lower initial price. The only differences are:

  • The rear camera has a resolution of just 13 MP.
  • It was released in November 2015.

The HTC One ME is another variation on the M9, with a bigger screen, but the same camera specs. The main differences are:

  • It has a 5.2-in Super LCD with a resolution of 1440x2560 @ 565ppi (just like the M9+).
  • It was released in July 2015.

The HTC One E9 is a bigger screen version of the M9. Differences include:

  • It has a 5.5-in LCD screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 @ 401ppi.
  • Its rear camera has a resolution of 13 MP.
  • The internal storage is only 16 GB.
  • It was released in May 2015.

Finally, the HTC One E9+ has a larger Quad HD screen than the M9. Differences include:

  • A 5.5-in LCD screen with a resolution of 1440x2560 @ 534ppi.
  • A release date of May 2015.

HTC One M8, HTC One Mini 2, and HTC One E8

HTC One E8 smartphones, seen from back, front, and side

Display: 5.0-in Super LCD
Resolution: 1080x1920 @ 441ppi
Front camera: 5 MP
Rear camera: Dual 4 MP
Charger type: micro USB
Initial Android version: 4.4 KitKat
Final Android version: 6.0 Marshmallow
Release Date: March 2014

The HTC One M8 is an all-metal smartphone with a dual sensor camera that adds depth of field to shots. Users can even refocus after shooting. It comes in 16 and 32 GB configurations and accepts memory cards up to 256 GB. While it doesn't have a removable battery, it's also not water-resistant.

Like the original HTC One, the M8 also has BlinkFeed, a Flipboard-like curated news feed feature. In its first iteration, BlinkFeed could not be disabled, but HTC thankfully fixed that with a software update. This feature is also now searchable, and users can add custom topics to follow.

It adds integration with more third-party apps, such as Foursquare and Fitbit. The HTC Sense UI adds gesture controls for waking up the screen and for launching BlinkFeed and the camera.

The HTC One Mini 2 as its name says, is a downsized version of the M8. Other differences include:  

  • A 4.5-in Super LCD with a resolution of 720x1280 @ 326ppi.
  • The primary camera has a 13 MP resolution.
  • It's only available in a 16 GB configuration.
  • It was released in May 2014.

The HTC One E8 is a lower-priced alternative. The main differences are:

  • The primary camera has a 13 MP resolution.
  • It only has 16 GB of built-in storage.
  • It was released in June 2014.

The HTC One M8s has a souped-up camera as the main difference:

  • The primary camera has a dual 13 MP/2MP sensor.
  • It's available in 16 and 32 GB configurations.
  • It was released in May 2015.

Finally, the HTC One M8 Eye has an even higher-end camera:

  • The primary camera has a dual 14 MP sensor.
  • There's 16 GB of internal storage.
  • It was released in October 2014 (China only).

HTC One and HTC One Mini

HTC One Mini smartphones, seen from back, front, and side

Display: 4.7-in Super LCD
Resolution: 1080x1920 @ 469ppi
Front camera: 2.1 MP
Rear camera: 4 MP
Charger type: micro USB
Initial Android version: 4.1 Jelly Bean
Final Android version: 5.0 Lollipop
Release Date: March 2013 (no longer in production)

The original HTC One's body is 70 percent aluminum and 30 percent plastic, compared to its all-metal successors. It came in 32 GB or 64 GB configurations but lacked a card slot. This smartphone introduced the BlinkFeed news feed, but at launch, it was not removable. The curated feed included notifications from third-party apps such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Its 4-megapixel camera has an UltraPixel Sensor that HTC says is larger than its other models and its pixels more detailed.

The HTC One Mini is a smaller version of the HTC One. Other differences include:

  • Its screen is a 4.3-in Super LCD with a resolution of 720x1280 @ 342ppi.
  • The selfie camera has a lower resolution of 1.6 MP.
  • It has only 16 GB of built-in storage (no card slot).
  • It was released in August 2013 (no longer in production).
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