HTC One M8 for Windows Arrives on T-Mobile

T-Mobile Windows Phone users desperately needed an iPhone 6 rival running Microsoft’s operating system and the carrier is finally delivering. Just as company representatives said it would earlier this week, the T-Mobile HTC One M8 is now available for users to buy.

The United States’ fourth-largest carrier officially began selling the HTC One M8 for Windows this morning on its website. Right now, the device appears to only be available online. Once T-Mobile stores open nationwide, it’s entirely possible that they will be available locally too.

The HTC One M8 for Windows is costs users $585 up front if they chose to purchase the device without a T-Mobile Equipment Installation Plan. Users who sign up for an Equipment Installation Plan won’t have to put anything down for the device up-front, however, they will need to pay $24.40 a month in payments for the next 24 months.

T-Mobile’s HTC One M8 for Windows store page includes a link to the free HTC Dot View case offer. HTC announced it last week. The Dot View case lets HTC One owners see notifications and more without turning on their device. Users can also activate Cortana, Windows Phone’s personal assistant with a swipe on the Dot View Case too. Normally, the Dot View case costs $49.99.

Potential T-Mobile HTC One M8 for Windows Phone should note that T-Mobile adjusts the amount users have to pay depending on their credit rating. Those with great credit or three years of service on the carrier will do get the $0 option. Others with lower credit ratings may be charged a down payment.

The release of the T-Mobile HTC One M8 for Windows was absolutely crucial. HTC and Verizon took to a stage earlier this year to jointly announce the handset. Shortly after that, AT&T and T-Mobile revealed they both had versions of the HTC One M8 for Windows coming for their users. The HTC One M8 for Windows is the only Windows Phone iPhone alternative on specifications alone. Mostly that’s because it’s the exact same hardware as the HTC One M8 that runs Google’s Android operating system.

Read: With New HTC One M8, Windows Phone Has Finally Arrived

The body of the HTC One M8 for Windows is machined aluminum, giving it a more premium feel than the predominantly plastic Nokia Lumia Windows Phones that are available at T-Mobile today. A full high-definition 5-inch display dominates the front of the device along with a front-facing web camera and two BoomSound stereo speakers. 2GB of RAM and a quad-core 2.3 GHZ processor are inside the HTC One M8 for Windows. It’s one of the most powerful Windows Phone we’ve seen yet and that means the “Resuming” screens that T-Mobile Lumia 925 users have been stuck with since last year could be a thing of the past.

The HTC One M8 for Windows comes with 32GB of storage. Users can add more using a built-in MicroSD card slot. Users will need that storage thanks to the device’s three different cameras. The first is a front-facing web camera for video chatting and taking self-portraits. The other two cameras are on the rear shell one using the Ultrapixel technology HTC first showed off in the HTC One M7, the other adds depth to photos.

Traditionally, neither HTC nor T-Mobile have offered best-in-class Windows Phone support. T-Mobile hardly ever rolls out newer devices and does take its time release Windows Phone updates. The T-Mobile HTC One M8 for Windows comes with Windows Phone 8.1 – the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile operating system. T-Mobile has added its HD Wi-Fi calling to the device. HTC has done its part to make this a release Windows Phone users can’t resist. BlinkFeed, HTC Camera and a TV app for its infrared remote port are all included as apps. That’s a big first for HTC, which traditionally has kept most of its big name apps to its Android devices.