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Why I Bought an HTC One the Day Before the iPhone 5S Announcement

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Earlier today Apple shocked absolutely no one in their announcement of the new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. I bet we’d not see anything that interesting that wasn’t already rumored, so yesterday I bought a new phone the day before the announcement. All the rumors amounted to a terrific yawn, so I chose to buy an HTC One instead of wait for the iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C.

Apple events were once steeped in secrecy, but thanks to all the rumors, leaks and information coming out of the factories in China and Apple developer leaks, Apple no longer charges up even the biggest Apple fan with the emotion we saw with the launch of the iPhone in its early generations and the first couple of iPads. Apple fans who want to know all about the phone get their pleasure by reading sites like GottaBeMobile. We posted about nearly every new feature announced, including the new accessories.

The HTC One features an IR port on the top, turning it into a remote control.

Here’s a list of what we already knew:

  • The iPhone 5S would look like the iPhone 5
  • An iPhone 5C with a plastic back would come in many colors
  • iPhone 5S would hit in gold to go along with the black and white
  • The colorful iPhone 5C would show up with matching cases
  • iPhone 5S would run faster
  • It would offer a better camera
  • It would come with a fingerprint reader

None of what we knew led me to want to upgrade my iPhone 5 that I use as a second phone.

Verizon HTC One Video

The Samsung Galaxy S4 disappointed me. At first I loved it, and even gave reasons why people should choose it over the HTC One. Many of those reasons still concern me, but I wanted the more elegant hardware the HTC One offers. Without all the whiz-bang software features on the Samsung Galaxy S4 it feels like an ordinary slab of plastic and glass. I seldom used the multiple windows which show two apps at once. I never used the gestures the let users swipe above the screen to answer it. The camera goodies helped me get some great shots this summer, but most of those come on the HTC One camera. Apple put a few in their camera, but when the HTC offers them, why wait?

As a Mac user and iPad lover, I wanted Apple to prove me wrong so I could return the HTC One and pre-order an awesome new iPhone. But there’s no wider screen to go with the longer one we got last year. iOS 7 still doesn’t allow for customizing the phone’s keyboard. I like the new control panel that swipes up from the bottom in iOS 7 but Android users can put most of those features on their home screen, or in a different launcher without rooting the phone.

15 Comments

15 Comments

  1. Ash

    09/10/2013 at 1:58 pm

    I have always believed and still do believe that HTC builds the most gorgeous and best hardware when it comes to smartphones. True that Apple hardware is good but imo, HTC’s are better. And Apple sorta admits that HTC has the correct idea about smartphone photography at the 5s event! I had the HTC Desire when it first came out and I still think that it was a better device than the iPhone 4. Owns a One X currently cz I haven’t got money to buy an HTC One but if I did, I woulda most certainly bout the HTC One. Overall, it’s a better piece of hardware. And I wouldn’t hesitate to say that this time around, HTC built a better piece of hardware than Apple!

    • Richard

      09/11/2013 at 7:30 am

      Well said. I started off with a Desire, then a sensation, a One X and now I have One.

      Tried loads of different phone and platform but nothing compares.

      • Kamaljeet Dhiman

        09/11/2013 at 10:54 pm

        Awesome. I had the Desire HD and now have the One. :)
        HTC makes the best phones, hands down.

    • some internet dude

      09/13/2013 at 6:48 pm

      Agreed, HTC has design nail down. It pains me to see them struggling. If they could only bounce back. I’m not sure what they would need to do, maybe release some pure android handsets. The Nexus One, and the HTC One where/are pretty phones. Shame.

  2. Greg

    09/11/2013 at 4:18 am

    I love HTC phones too: Desire, then a One S, would love a One but am currently using a Galaxy S3, which is better than an iPhone, but not as good as the HTC.

  3. matt

    09/11/2013 at 6:51 am

    Smart guy!!!!!! You used to think SGS4 is better than htc one… Now you know it, the truth my friend… HTC ONE is best/awesome.

    • Kevin Purcell

      09/11/2013 at 6:24 pm

      Not afraid to admit when I’m wrong. :)

  4. Jack

    09/11/2013 at 9:05 am

    I bought an HTC One after hearing so much about it last month. I absolutely love it and I don’t think any phone in the market today is as good as this one if you consider the build quality and software. More over Android updates are upto date now. My friends who own the Samsung envy me now. Wonderful phone.

  5. Nathan Lemmon

    09/11/2013 at 5:49 pm

    HTC 1 overheats badly. Nice looking hardware but poor integration.

    • Gordon Christie

      09/11/2013 at 11:02 pm

      I’ve never had any overheating problems even when playing real fiitbal or real racing it does get warm but not that much not as bad as my galaxy s2 used too anyway

    • Mr.Fireworks

      12/21/2013 at 12:31 am

      it’s made of aluminum so it conducts heat easier. It only feels like it is overheating because of that.
      If you think about it, is it actually better for your phone. The heat inside your phone gets released from your phone, compared to other plastic phones: the heat in those phones stay inside.

  6. Deepak Sudevan

    09/11/2013 at 10:50 pm

    i love my HTC one and its blink feed. It is better than my Iphone and Samsung s4.
    build quality is super and faster than Samsung s4 and iphone 5 and 5S or 5C

  7. Rocket

    09/12/2013 at 8:12 am

    I bought a HTC One. everything was good except the camera had the famous purple red tint flaw. replaced my phone and now the new one doesn’t have that problem. its fast and zippy as ever :)

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