HTC launches their new smartphone: the One A9

The new software has been fused more tightly with HTC’s Sense overlay, with elements like the notification shade looking like the stock option and the usual bundle of HTC apps being stripped back to make more space on the phone.

Check out our hands-on gallery of the HTC One A9 here.

The new device comes with a five-inch, 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and Full HD AMOLED screen.

HTC has taken the wraps off its latest smartphone, the HTC One A9, as it looks to regain its place in the premium Android device market. Comfortably occupying the mid-range of devices, the A9 looks like a worthy challenger to Google’s new Nexus phones. The HTC One A9 sports a 4-megapixel UltraPixel front facing camera, along with a 13-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization, autofocus, dual-LED flash, ability to capture RAW images and Hyperlapse video recording capability, though it does not support 4K video recording. In terms of memory, HTC is offering two versions of the One A9: one with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, and another with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

HTC has also launched a new Dot View II case which will bring enhanced gesture controls, as well as the new HTC Pro Studio In-Ear headphones, with aforementioned BoomSound support. However, this iPhone doppelgänger is available for a fraction of its Apple twin’s cost.

The slimmer body also has an effect on the A9’s battery as it only comes with a lower 2,150mAh capacity, compared to the One A9’s 2,840mAh. However, both models will offer a microSD slot that supports cards up to 2TB in size. The HTC One A9 specs are also astounding and you can easily fool yourself and others that this is an Apple phone but with an Android OS.

The One A9 comes in six colors, including Cast Iron, Opal Silver, Acid Gold, Topaz Gold, Deep Garnet and Carbon Gray.

The HTC One A9 is also the first smartphone outside of the Nexus line to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, bringing many new software features, such as Android Pay, Now on Tap and Android Doze. Stung by criticism of that device’s camera and feeling an ever-greater urgency to change its ways, the Taiwanese company introduced its second hero handset of the year in the One A9. The fingerprint sensor does more than simply unlock the handset, and that’s largely due to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.