All three carriers are currently pitching deals to attract consumers to the new device that comes with a 20.7 megapixel camera, high res audio playback, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor featuring a quad-core 2GHz processor and a quad-core 1.5GHz processor that work in tandem.
Memory wise you get 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and an expandable slot that can take a 128GB card.
So why is this smartphone different?
The M9 is an all-metal smartphone that’s crafted from one piece of metal.
It takes 300 minutes to machine and build that comes with a subtly gold coloured bezel and dual-tone finish
It’s not over imposing bright yellow, but a gentle hue that segues nicely with the anodized metal unibody rear casing, which does – at first glance – give the M9 a jewelry-esque premium look.
It really is one of the best looking smartphones I’ve ever held.”
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If you like a seriously good looking smartphone, this device is in the same league as a top end Mercedes, BMW or Audi.
At Telstra it will cost you $70 on their mobile accelerate plan which includes $700 of calls, and MMS, unlimited SMS and 1.5GB of data.
The device itself will cost you an extra $12 per month on a 24-month contract, making the total cost $82 per month.
Telstra will carry the Gunmetal Grey colour as an exclusive, and customers who pre-order via Telstra’s website will get a bonus Pair of Monster DNA on-ear headphones worth $229.
Vodafone is offering a free six month subscriptions to either Spotify Premium, The Sydney Morning Herald or The Age.
Their $70 Red Plan, which includes infinite standard national calls and texts per month, 300 minutes of international calls per month and 3GB of data.
The phone will cost you an extra $10 per month on a 24-month contract, bringing the total per month cost up to $80.
When it comes to the display screen what you get is a 5-inch, full HD 1080p screen that support two BoomSound speakers which have been developed with audio software Company Dolby.
The UltraPixel rear-facing camera from the One M8 has migrated to the front the M9. Why?
UltraPixel’s let in 300% more light, which is better for those terrible late-night grainy selfie shots. The 20MP rear camera should provide more detail and clarity, although I’ll need to confirm that in my upcoming review.
There’s also a new “dynamic engine” which supposedly works like your eyes.
Rather than using two cameras to capture two different aspects of an image, the new engine and algorithm can take different luminosity within a picture and keep detail in both the light and dark areas.
HTC’s EYE editing options are available too with some new features, including; layering (? la Photoshop) face merging and cropping. From the brief glance I got, it seems as if the already vast amount of editing options has increased further, which should please ardent smartphone photographers.
UltraPixel technology is also available on the front-facing camera. HTC has opted to stick with a full HD 1080p display instead of quad-HD screen like the Samsung Galaxy S6. Whatever you think about not upgrading the display technology, there’s no doubt that a lower resolution will drain less power. How much usage time you actually get out of the M9 is yet to be seen, but I’ll explain more when my full review goes up next week.
When it comes to the User Interface (UI) you have two choices with the new Sense overlay, you can either let a machine pick you best apps or you can custom build your pages.
The HTC Blink Feed service also delivers content including news and food tips.
The battery size of the One M9 has increased from 2600mAh to 2840mAh, but there’s more to the story than just simple battery size. The combination of a more efficient Qualcomm QCOM -0.27% Snapdragon 810 processor, a less taxing Sense 7 user-interface and a larger battery gives the M9 some serious lasting-power credentials.
BoomSound
HTC often trots out its BoomSound technology as an example of its innovative genius. It’s also the company’s excuse for the large top and bottom bezels on its smartphones. But there is good reason for it. BoomSound sounds like no other external smartphone speakers. What you get now is the ability to play back 24bit lossless audio files.
The M9’s BoomSound update improves base, clarity and volume to sound played through the pinhole-sized speakers. They really are impressive.
HTC has also improved the quality of audio that’s played through the headphone jack. Against the One M8, there’s a very noticeable difference in playback quality, with the M9 adding a more 3D sound. HTC is even bundling-in a top-end pair of headphones to ensure you get the best playback experience possible.
The HTC One M9 goes on sale in Australia on the 24th of March 2015.
