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Verizon HTC One: 5 Things You Need to Know

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After months of speculation, leaks and rumors, Verizon has finally confirmed the long-awaited Verizon HTC One for its 4G LTE network. The device, which will surely be attractive to those looking for a new smartphone and for those interested, here are the five most important things to know about Verizon’s all-metal, Sense 5 powered beast.

Since the beginning of the year, the Verizon HTC One has been a much talked about, heavily rumored smartphone. For whatever reason – supply issues, timing, something else – the carrier kept the device shelved, refusing to acknowledge its existence, even after carriers like AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile put it on sale.

The Verizon HTC One is coming this summer.

The Verizon HTC One is coming this summer.

That left consumers with a hefty dose of speculation in regards to the device’s whereabouts including about whether or not the carrier would simply pass on the device in favor of an HTC Butterfly 2/Droid DNA 2 or something else entirely. As it turns out, the rumors of a Verizon HTC One were correct and the device is, in fact, very much real.

Today, in a quick announcement on Twitter, the company finally confirmed the existence of the HTC One, a device that will be joining the Samsung Galaxy S4 on shelves in the weeks ahead. However, in true Verizon form, the carrier only confirmed some of the details, leaving others to the imagination until the carrier issues a full-on press release for the device.

In fact, while the device has been confirmed, there are still plenty of questions lingering in regards to the Verizon HTC One, its release date, its pricing, its features and more.

Here, we take a look at the unofficial, but likely answers to those questions while also bringing consumers who may not have been following along, up to speed with the popular and upcoming device that is known as the Verizon HTC One.

Release Date Unknown

A Verizon HTC One release is unknown, even after its announcement.

A Verizon HTC One release is unknown, even after its announcement.

Indeed, Verizon announced the HTC One but thus far, in regards to its release date, all the carrier has to say is “summer.” That means that it could be out at any point between now and August.

Thus far, all signs have pointed to a release before the month of July with a release in late June rumored to be taking place. June or July make the most sense at this point with June being the front-runner.

So while the announcement took place today, we should see a release date emerge in the next few days or weeks. Yes, the wait for the device is over, but the wait for a release date has only just begun.

Price Is A Mystery

The carrier also failed to disclose any type of pricing for the HTC One. This means that in addition to a release date, consumers don’t know how much the device is going to cost.

Chances are, the device, which will likely be the 32GB model, will be $199.99 on-contract like the Samsung Galaxy S4 16GB. The other carriers offering it on-contract have it placed at $199.99 and at this point, given how late in the game Verizon is, a premium on the price should not be expected.

Instead, look for it to fall in line with the Galaxy S4 price to make it a competitive offering.

Hardware Will Be The Same

Verizon didn’t disclose what would be on board its HTC One, hardware-wise, when it arrives later on this year. However, those interested in buying it should expect it to feature the exact same hardware as the other HTC One models that are available on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

For one, there’s no way that HTC would give Verizon any type of an advantage, That would hurt relations with the other carriers and at this point, given how fragile the company is, that wouldn’t be a smart move.

So, expect it to have a 4.7-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, Ultrapixel camera, metal design with non-removable back, and HTC BoomSound and Beats Audio.

We do expect the device to have Verizon branding, as all Verizon devices do, but given that the Samsung Galaxy S4 only came with minimal branding, consumers should know that there is a good chance that Verizon won’t muck up the HTC One’s design with its branding.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Likely

@LLabTooFeR, a noted HTC leakster and ROM developer, claims that the Verizon HTC One will launch with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board. This seems likely. The HTC One Android 4.2 update has been pegged for early June and the upcoming HTC One Nexus will have Android 4.2 on board.

It would be strange to see HTC and Google give HTC One Nexus owners an advantage, two months after the release of the original, so we expect the HTC One to get Android 4.2 this month and the Verizon HTC One to arrive with it on board as well. Perhaps this is why Verizon neglected to offer any details on the hardware and software.

Sense 5 will be on board the Verizon HTC One so those looking to get a vanilla Android experience will have to roll with the upcoming HTC One Google Edition/Nexus.

64GB Verizon HTC One Unlikely

Sprint and T-Mobile have yet to offer a 32GB HTC One. The HTC One Nexus will be coming with 32GB. At this point, there is no reason to expect a 64GB HTC One on Verizon.

AT&T still has the exclusive and it’s possible that it may never relinquish it. If a 64GB HTC One was indeed coming to Verizon, there likely would have been some hint at the fact. We also probably would have seen Sprint, T-Mobile or both muscle in. That hasn’t happened.

This means that Verizon HTC One owners should start preparing for a life with no microSD card support, about 7-9GB of storage taken up right from the start, and a heavy dependence on the cloud.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Larry

    06/03/2013 at 4:05 pm

    They will all have the 64 gb in time? If AT&T does why not the rest? It’s competing !! But who knows??

  2. Android Craze

    06/04/2013 at 8:24 am

    Why HTC One wasn’t announced earlier and it took so long to announce it…?
    HTC was hoping for DROID DNA 2, which eventually didn’t happen.
    Secret unveiled…
    Source: https://www.theandroidtimes.com/2013/06/htc-one-coming-to-verizon.html

  3. Matt

    06/05/2013 at 6:13 am

    “Sprint and T-Mobile have yet to offer a 32GB HTC One.” – They offer the 32GB model.

    “This means that Verizon HTC One owners should start preparing for a life with no microSD card support, about 7-9GB of storage taken up right from the start, and a heavy dependence on the cloud.” – My Sprint One had around 27GB available storage right from the start, so 5-6GB taken up from the start would be a bit more accurate (that includes formatting).

    Also, with even 26GB available (along with OTG support if you really need external storage), I highly doubt the majority of people are going to have a heavy dependence on the cloud.

    • Larry

      06/05/2013 at 3:28 pm

      T mobile does have a 32 gb only corporate stores have them, I got mine at a tm store and its a 32 gb other carriers I have no idea but most likely the same

      • Matt

        06/05/2013 at 3:35 pm

        I know T-Mobile does, that’s why I was correcting the article that states otherwise.

        And all TMO stores haves them now.

        • Larry

          06/06/2013 at 7:26 pm

          Some tmo stores only carry the 16 gb like the iPhone 5?? The store I went had the last one and was a 32 gb and the same day the started the 32 gb

          • Matt

            06/06/2013 at 7:31 pm

            There is no 16GB. The article makes it sound like they have yet to offer the 32GB, and I was saying they have offered it and that’s the only options they have. I’m not sure why you continue to reply as if wondering something about what I’m saying…there is ONLY a 32GB at TMO or Sprint.

            When the limited launch at TMO started those select 300 stores had the 32GB model only. There is no 16GB.

  4. Larry

    06/07/2013 at 8:11 pm

    Matt don’t know where u are located I’m in so Cali and t mobile has both 16 and 32 gb some stores have differ in stock, so I don’t know what t mobile retailer u went I went to a corporate store

    • Matt

      06/08/2013 at 2:50 pm

      I actually work for HTC and know for a fact we do not produce a 16GB model. You’ve either mistaken devices or someone is telling you incorrectly at those locations. Are you speaking of the HTC One ‘S’? That is a completely different device than the HTC One.

      • Larry

        06/09/2013 at 4:17 pm

        It’s the new one with the front speakers aluminum casing like iPhone 5 ya tmo stores now have only the 32 gb it was 16 wen they launched that’s what the store rep says but I believe you, you should deff know if you wor for HTC , why did the not make a mini ad card option and only internal memory, that’s the only down fall but otherwise i really like my HTC ONE! I ditched my Verizon iPhone 5 for it, the HTC is way better and faster too

        • Matt

          06/09/2013 at 4:58 pm

          There never was a 16GB model, the rep must have been misinformed (whih many of the reps I work with still ask how much storage it has in it…you’d think they’d know working there what devices have, but they really don’t care that much to know).

          There’s a variety of reasons to use internal only. It’s faster than SD cards, Google stopped support for SD cards with the Android OS as it can cause a variety of issues (split partitions for storing media, crashes, various speeds of SD cards slow down the system and loading of apps, data tansfer speeds, corruption of data, and developers supporting it or not with apps themselves). So HTC is following with Google’s direction.

          Also, it can be a cost thing too. Let’s just hypothetically say it costs $1 per device to put SD card support into it, and only 25% want that option. If you sell a million devices, you just paid $750,000 more for something only 1/4th of users want, and don’t even necessarily need.

          The One also supports OTG expandable storage out of the box, so you can plug in an OTG cable and a flash drive or SD card reader and expand the storage through that very easily (plug and play).

          Not to mention all of the cloud storage available.

          Also, the thinking is probably along the lines of: If iPhones sell by the millions and have never had complaints from their users for SD cards, why should we be paying more for additional parts? It’s an extra cost that even Google isn’t supporting anymore. There are very few users that can’t get by with 32GB of storage, and “need” an SD card.

          • Larry

            06/10/2013 at 6:58 pm

            I read carefully you do make sense a lot, I did notice sd cards do slow things down, my iPhone did load up quicker than a droid razr with everything put on a sd card, it’s funny you mention that cause I was thinking hmmm is the sd card slowing things and it does!! My iPhone was a 64 gb but the price I paid on eBay was worth it, than sold it for more, not like I used it for long enough to hate apple lol lol but wen I got the HTC ONE damn what a difference in speed and fun too and for what I needed for!! Thanks:)) great input there!!

  5. BackdoorJesus

    08/29/2013 at 3:18 pm

    I was on the VZW website today and selected the HTC One for a comparison, and when the features list came up it said that this phone had removable memory, though this is contrary to everything I’ve read elsewhere on it. Anyone know for sure? Did Vz score a new hardware config that includes the SD card slot?

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