10 of the best HTC telephones of all time and what made them so iconic

We have come a full decade down from the height of prominence for a well-respected – maybe even what you might name legendary – Taiwanese smartphone producer named HTC. That wasn’t an thrilling title by any means, however the gadgets that got here out of the corporate helped it turn into higher than the sum of simply the phrases “Excessive Tech Company.”

HTC helped to kickstart all the Android platform, stood out by itself with a sophisticated UI, then a sequence of pure lacquer One telephones, after which fell into obscurity whereas serving to to reshape Google’s strategy with the Pixel lineup. We’ve rolled down the tracks of the firm’s history before, however right here, we’re specializing in 10 of what we predict are the best telephones to have ever come out of HTC. We can’t be rating these telephones strictly primarily based on advantage. Suffice to say that the HTC One M7 and One M8 often contend amongst critics for better of all time – and, spoilers, just one is on this listing. As an alternative, we’ll shine the highlight on telephones from three particular (although overlapping) eras and the elements that made them so notable and even cherished.

One of the best HTC telephones of the early period

Whereas HTC has immense road cred within the Android realm, we will not neglect that the corporate was additionally a prolific title within the Home windows Cell and Home windows Telephone ecosystems, too. It additionally had a hand as a white-box producer in kickstarting at the least one explicit firm’s smartphone lineage.

1 Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Quirky Home windows Cell phone

Sure, consider it or not, Sony Ericsson left it to HTC to launch what’s now solo participant Sony’s highfalutin’ Xperia smartphones sequence – the catch right here is the Xperia X1 was highfalutin’ all the best way again in 2008. It had a powerful 800 x 480 show, which, on a 3-inch show, introduced a stage of definition that was pretty uncommon on a cell phone. The X1 additionally sported a keyboard that, according to our testing back in the day, had a “distinct, crisp, and high quality sliding motion”, very like the HTC’s pioneering and satisfyingly clacky Android system, the T-Cell G1 with Google. And very like the telephone that was also referred to as the “Dream,” the keyboard itself was mushy, cramped, and much from premium.

Home windows Cell had a couple of quirks that system producers tried to easy over with shortcut buttons or further layers of software program. Sadly, the X1’s Optical Joystick was too fiddly to navigate with precision and the D pad-esque controller rocker the joystick was embedded in wasn’t that significantly better. However Sony Ericsson’s multitasking panels made sense – the general paradigm hasn’t modified a lot throughout time or working techniques – and its media playback apps had been a lot simpler to make use of than Microsoft’s personal.

Fifteen years on, and we’re nonetheless speaking about Sony Xperia Android phones with some enthusiasm and frequency at Pocket-lint. Not a lot with HTC anymore, regardless that it does have new telephones out in 2023.

2 HTC Hero

Debut of Sense UI for Android

In competing towards iOS, Android stripped away lots of the {hardware} controls we had been used to seeing in Home windows telephones and enabled some putting candybar designs, together with HTC’s very own Hero. Whereas different telephones had raised chins, this one was constructed on a stable Teflon basis and had some character in addition. Most significantly, although, was the debut of Sense UI for Android, replete with the combo flip clock and climate widget and the graphical furnishings that lined up a number of the barer spots of the bottom OS and went additional in including themeable components, too.

Android was positively rising by itself with a full of life Android Market of purposes and seemingly fixed dot-dot model updates, however telephones just like the Hero and OEMs like HTC helped propel the platform to higher options, higher seems to be, and to extra folks.

3 HTC HD2

Chonkster with a 4.3-inch display screen

On {hardware} alone, the HTC HD2 was recognized primarily as a chonkster with its market-first 4.3-inch display screen, nevertheless it was taken on the entire as a reliable system despite Home windows Cell. However its legacy lives on within the hearts of modders because the telephone that might by no means die. You see, this Home windows Cell 6.5 system was launched on the cusp of Home windows Telephone 7’s launch, however Microsoft finally denied the HD2 that replace because it did not meet a variety of what could possibly be argued as arbitrary spec necessities. The corporate advised APC (through Internet Archive) on the time the telephone lacked particular function buttons and different {hardware} elements. It wasn’t a superb search for both HTC or Microsoft. What was one to do?

Why, they may take cost! The HD2 allowed customers to flash ROMs from its microSD card slot, so when you might compile a construct that might reconcile your selection of working system with the telephone’s elements, you’d be capable to use Home windows Telephone 7, MeeGo, Firefox OS, Linux, even Android all the best way up via to model 7.0 Nougat through Cyanogenmod (through Pocketnow) on this unkillable slab. Even to today, on the boards of our sister website, XDA-Developers, you will discover tweakers proudly displaying off their HD2 operating 2009-era Ubuntu.

Let it by no means die.

One of the best HTC telephones from its prime

The primary few years within the panorama of Android telephones noticed volleys one month and salvos the following because it grew to become clear that Android can be the main contender towards the iPhone. Product launch cycles went lightning quick as producers catered to wi-fi carriers who had been pushing 4G (and the necessity to purchase a brand new telephone) in earnest – this meant the identical important chassis being packaged up in several methods and offered as network-locked “exclusives” to the likes of AT&T, Verizon, Telus, Rogers, Vodafone, O2 – you’ll be able to insert your personal manufacturers right here. HTC, nevertheless, regularly started narrowing down and refining its product technique beginning in 2012, delivering a number of the finest materials builds it ever put to market.

4 HTC One S

The One sequence is right here

This one could also be slightly controversial to those that had been round for HTC’s first within the One sequence of telephones that will go on to hold the corporate via the center of the last decade. The 2012 entries consisted of the Nvidia Tegra-powered One X with an unabashedly plastic physique, the cost-conscious One V with an aluminium unibody and a lacklustre spec sheet, and, proper within the center, the One S.

It, too, had an aluminium unibody, however the rear floor got here in two finishes: a black colourway handled with micro-arc oxidation for a granular really feel (which was extra susceptible to chipping, in line with XDA-Developers forum contributors) and an anodized silver look. Whereas unlucky, the general design language of the {hardware} gave the One S complementary curves in all the precise locations. Whereas it was a step-down from the One X in status, it oozed the very best vibes out of the trio.

5 HTC One M8

Absolutely aluminium angle

2013’s One M7 launched us to HTC’s absolutely aluminium angle, nevertheless it was the One M8 that added friendlier curves and an added diploma of stylish that made it plainly irresistible to pocket. BoomSound audio system grew to become a name to fame, and the Tremendous LCD know-how of its show was getting its flowers for offering a extra colour-balanced 1080p image than Samsung’s early AMOLED merchandise. Positive, the UltraPixel digital camera (now with an added depth sensor) has by no means precisely been a secure selection, however within the age earlier than, cell phone cameras might even be referred to as “good,” capturing as a lot gentle as attainable was a superb tack to take. Sense UI 5 simplified and flattened the entire customized components it was making use of on high of the late-stage Android Holo aesthetic – that mentioned, when you thought it hip to be sq., you might get an HTC One M8 with Home windows Telephone 8.1 out of the field, too.

I personally obtained entangled with the One M8 Harman/Kardon edition after profitable it in a sweepstakes – I used to be additionally subscribed to Dash, however that is a totally totally different story – and it was a beautiful little bit of equipment with a black-and-gold color combo, double the conventional storage, and a thicker, heavier physique. That heft got here in helpful after the telephone fell from my pocket whereas I used to be biking and hit asphalt – no cracks to the show glass in any respect! The added audio heft wasn’t significantly spectacular, however the Harman/Kardon title did give me a few further bragging factors again when folks seen my telephone and requested about it.

6 HTC 10

Admirable comeback

HTC was left carrying the bag in 2015. Or, as a substitute, it is One M9 that took the primary warmth of the Qualcomm’s scandalous thermal administration issues with the Snapdragon 810 (through XDA-Developers). Add in some stagnancy on the a part of designers and engineers, and the telephone flopped. If this underdog participant had any relevance, the iPhone 6S and Galaxy S5 had been quashing it.

The HTC 10 marked an admirable comeback from this nadir. The corporate went bolder on its aluminium unibody design by doubling down on the chamfers within the rear, virtually to the purpose of calling them bevels. After a disappointing non-UltraPixel digital camera within the One M9, the one on the ten was a much-needed course correction. And Sense UI, which was starting to survive its usefulness, was freshened up as soon as extra to make navigation and theming simpler.

This was a step again from the brink, nevertheless it appeared as if the brink stepped again with HTC.

7 HTC U11

The final stand

The U11 was the final stand for HTC’s fantastic engineering division. Out with metallic, in with glass. The corporate got here up with a remedy referred to as “Liquid Surface” that was someway in a position to streak totally different colors throughout the striations of that tumbler as to replicate – key phrase: replicate – a fiercely vibrant, continually altering look as you spun the telephone round in your hand.

Sadly, the remainder of the telephone was sure to fade into the background. In its try to sustain with gimmicks coming from different producers, HTC introduced a customized AI assistant into Sense UI and added stress sensors for an added bodily interface it dubbed “Edge Sense” that might set off a shortcut. Different HTC hallmarks, whereas doing properly in their very own proper, weren’t advancing in a significant method – Tremendous LCD, for instance, gave the impression to be at its limits of what it might present versus OLED panels.

Come the beginning of 2018 and, Google would shut on an acquisition of HTC’s hardware department. We’ve not seen any stunners since then.

One of the best HTC telephones made for Google

Converse of the satan; it is well-known Google was more than pleased to return again to HTC repeatedly for Nexus and Pixel gadgets in order that sale of the workforce might need been a pure transfer to some observers if not an inevitable one.

8 Google Nexus One

Quintessential Android telephone

This was the quintessential Android telephone of 2010. And make no mistake; the Nexus One was centered on Android and never the opposite method round: we’re speaking about 4 navigation buttons plus a trackball. That is a management floor endemic of the transitional interval away from many buttons and in the direction of having only one – even residence buttons would start to die off in a couple of quick years. All of this was wrapped up in a beautiful, compact plastic physique and topped off with a poppy show. Early chicken consumers had been in a position to expertise the Nexus One with an AMOLED panel that was shiny and sharp, if a bit off with color replica, however most others needed to accept the extra environment friendly Tremendous LCD after provides ran dry.

The Nexus One was a showcase for software program. By design, the {hardware} had its again at each flip.

9 Google Pixel

Demise of Nexus

2016 marked the loss of life of Nexus and the start of “Made by Google,” although HTC was the one backstage for not simply the Pixel and Pixel XL however the Pixel 2 as properly. In actual fact, it will’ve made the Pixel 2 XL as properly earlier than LG was tasked with it. Supposedly, those blueprints were recycled to bring the U11 to life. It isn’t precisely clear if that Liquid Floor remedy was meant to be the Pixel’s alone or if Google had determined to go ahead with a prototype system.

The fusion of metallic and glass on the again coupled with a putting blue hue let the unique Pixel telephones make an awesome first impression, however the occasional QA mishap right here and there – together with one I reported on for our sister website Pocketnow – would additionally give us a primary style of how badly Google handles return merchandise authorizations.

10 Google Pixel 3a

Google absorbs HTC {hardware}

After Google absorbed HTC’s {hardware} workers, the unit went straight to work growing what would turn into the Pixel sequence’ first budget-tier system, the Pixel 3a. Rick Osterloh, the corporate’s {hardware} chief, would verify this reality with The Verge. So, what does the dwelling legacy of a top quality telephone maker do with a cost-conscious remit?

Provide you with a stable two-tone plastic physique, an AMOLED show that holds up properly towards its larger sibling within the Pixel 3, and carry ahead a tried-and-true digital camera that simply plain works. In any case, it is Google’s software program crew that was in a position to around the 3a out with dependable Android experiences and an IV of recent options. Taken collectively as a complete, the Pixel 3a grew to become a sufficiently big deal that, for my part, allowed Google to face out by itself as an actual telephone model. And that is about pretty much as good of a long-lasting be aware because the phantom of HTC might ever write for itself.