HTC just launched a new variant of its One M9 flagship, introducing the One M9s in its home country of Taiwan.
The One M9s mid-range handset is also a separate version of the One M9e smartphone the Taiwan-based company announced in China last month. The new device seems to have inherited the One M9 flagship's metal classic design, including the texture and color range.
The 5-inch 1080p HTC One M9s features a 2.2 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) 64-bit processor and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box. It has 16 GB internal storage that can be expanded by up to 2 TB using a microSD card. Other exciting features include a 2 GB of RAM, a pair of front-facing BoomSound stereo speakers with Dolby audio, a 2,840 mAh battery, 4G LTE connectivity, a 4-megapixel UltraPixel front camera (f/2.0 aperture, 26.8 millimeter lens), and a 13-megapixel OIS rear camera (f/2.0 aperture, 27.8 millimeter lens) that has a dual-LED and dual tone flash.
"HTC is with telecommunications partners to accelerate the promotion of pluralism [in] 4G services and tariff schemes," said Dongjun Liang, general manager of HTC North Asia. "HTC One M9s [continues] the classic features and visual effects from [the] HTC One series of re-evolution."
The company further believes that the great price of its new One M9s will increase customer satisfaction, as HTC fans are now able to experience the company's 4G flagship phone series features on a budget.
The handset will reportedly retail at NT$12,900 ($394) across the stores in Taiwan. Compared to its older sibling, the One M9 that launched in March and was priced at $649 in the U.S. with no subsidy, the latest variant from HTC is definitely more pocket-friendly while still boasting a premium build.
Consumers can also choose from three color options available for the One M9s: silver, gold and gray.
HTC said that consumers can even get their hands on the so-called HTC Dot View second generation protective sleeve, which they can use to provide a protective cover to their handset. With color options such as pink, gray and blue, the protective cover also allows consumers to perform basic tasks on their handset without the need to open the cover. These include checking the time, the weather and other notifications.
It remains to be seen whether the new HTC One M9s will also make it to the stores in the U.S. and in other markets, but for now it only launched in Taiwan.
