It has the same screen size, similar dimensions and is a similar weight. It’s difficult to escape my immediate reaction to seeing the One M9 - it’s almost identical to the One M8. HTC is even bundling-in a top-end pair of headphones to ensure you get the best playback experience possible. Against the One M8, there’s a very noticeable difference in playback quality, with the M9 adding a more 3D sound. HTC has also improved the quality of audio that’s played through the headphone jack. But they're the best tinny smartphone speakers around. Of course, they’re still smartphone speakers and as such sound a bit tinny.
The M9’s Boomsound update improves base, clarity and volume to sound played through the pinhole-sized speakers. The Nexus 6 matched the M8 in sheer volume, but there’s more to sound than just how loud it is. Boomsound sounds like no other external smartphone speakers. It’s also the company’s excuse for the large top and bottom bezels on its smartphones. HTC often trots out its BoomSound technology as an example of its innovative genius. This is one of the quickest smartphones on the market at the moment. The new Adreno 430 GPU tackles Android's most demanding games comfortably and swiping around the device is as quick as it's going to get. The rumours about over-heating turned out to be a red herring, with the M9 staying at a reasonable heat-level during arduous tasks. The One M9's Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor is blazingly fast. READ: Google Nexus 6: The 5 Best Reasons To Buy One Over Every Other Smartphone 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. HTC’s EYE editing options will be available too with some new features, including layering (à la Photoshop) face merging and cropping. 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. There’s also a new “dynamic engine” which supposedly works like your eyes. In its stead is a 20MP rear camera that should provide more detail and clarity, although I’ll need to confirm that in my upcoming review. Over-exposure problems in the M8 might also be the answer. Why? UltraPixels let in 300% more light, which is better for those terrible late-night grainy selfie shots. The UltraPixel rear-facing camera from the One M8 has migrated to the front the M9.
Some intelligent apps like Cloudex - which pulls all of your pictures from various social networks and cloud drives into the gallery app - and Theme Generator - which creates phone themes based on your personal pictures - add a lot of value to the M9 experience.
READ: 5 Reasons To Buy The OnePlus One Over Every Other Smartphone There’s also recommendations for places to eat at lunch time and bars to visit in the evening, all of which is pulled from If you’re at home, they switch out to things like music and a TV remote app. If you’re at work, Sense will give you quick access to productivity apps like the email app. The updated UI is more contextually aware by providing users with relevant information at the right time, much likeįor example, depending on your location and activity, Sense will change the apps on your homescreen. Aside from the obvious design changes, Sense 7 has some useful functionality built into it.
At the heart of the M9 is Sense 7, which perhaps provides the biggest upgrade on the M8.