HTC One Philippines, Launched! Official Price is Php 32,990 and Release Date is on May 24, 2013! UltraPixel, BlinkFeed, BoomSound, and Zoe, Explained!

Last night, I graced HTC Philippines' invitation for the official launch of its newest flagship Android handset, the HTC One. The exclusive media event was held at the Hyve Bar located at the Fort in Taguig City.


For me, what sets HTC One apart from other flagship Android releases this year is that it has a real metal body, which not only looks handsome and svelte but also gives the smartphone that reassuringly solid and durable feel in the hand. Yes, HTC One is expensive and you'll be glad to know that it definitely looks that way too.

Wrapped in zero-gap aluminum unibody and sporting a brilliant 4.7 inch Full HD SuperLCD3 display, HTC One features Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean skinned by the latest version of HTC Sense user interface and supports LTE connectivity to offer blazing fast mobile experience in a package that flaunts premium design and industry-leading build quality.


Available in stunning silver and slick black, the finely crafted aluminum unibody sits comfortably in the hand and sports HTC's unique antenna technology, which gives users crystal clear cellular signal. HTC One's display - protected by Gorilla Glass 2 - resists scratches, reduces glare, and offers an incredible 469 ppi pixel density delivering clear, vibrant, and crisp colors and details.


Super Slim HTC One measures only 9.3 millimeters at its thickest point.

At the center of HTC One's Sense interface is HTC BlinkFeed. BlinkFeed is a bold and fresh experience that transforms the handset's homescreen into a customizable live stream of information and content - such as social network updates, entertainment and lifestyle news, photos and videos, among many others - that are relevant to the user. BlinkFeed aggregates the newest content from the most relevant sources, delivering them at a glance, without the need to jump from one page or application to another.


HTC One likewise offers an enhanced audio experience via HTC BoomSound. This technology is made possible by front-facing stereo speakers with dedicated amplifier and complemented by the full HD display allowing users to enjoy music, videos, games, and Youtube clips more. Also, Beats Audio integration is enabled across the entire audio experience giving you rich, powerful, and authentic sound.


HTC UltraPixel Camera, which is one of the main selling points of HTC One, redefines how people capture, relive, and share precious moments. To enable this innovative camera experience, HTC developed a custom camera that includes a large f/2.0 aperture lens and a breakthrough sensor with UltraPixels that gather 300% more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors. These features allow the phone to deliver great shots even in low light conditions. HTC One also comes with an ultra-wide angle 2.1 MegaPixel front camera that's capable of recording 1080p videos just like the main snapper at the back. Multi-axis optical image stabilization for the rear camera also helps ensure a smoother video capture regardless of whether the handset stationary or moving. Other features that come with HTC UltraPixel camera include time sequencing, object removal, and 360 panorama.

But what makes HTC One's dual cameras really cool is that they are bundled with HTC Zoe, which gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos that come to life as three-second snippets! Zeo also creates integrated highlight films from each event comprised of Zoe photos and videos set to music with professionally designed cuts, transitions, and effects. These highlight videos can be remixed or set to different themes, and then be shared on Facebook or Twitter, email, and other services.

HTC One Philippines - replete with a Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU packed in Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 chipset, 2GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage - will become available across the archipelago starting May 24, 2013! The official suggested retail price if Php 32,990, which is Php 2,000 more than Samsung Galaxy S4's price tag but is actually lower than the SRP of HTC One X, the company's 2012 flagship release, as well as our TP Guesstimate for this particular release. Now, as for the handset's availability via postpaid plans, according HTC Philippines, you can eventually get HTC One as a bundled phone with Globe Postpaid Plan 2499 and above.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name HTC One
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category High End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm
Weight 143 grams
Available Colors Black, Silver
Operating System Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with planned 4.2.2 upgrade
Display 4.7 inches (~469 ppi pixel density), 1080 x 1920 pixels, Super LCD3, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300 Adreno 320 GPU Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 chipset
RAM 2 GB RAM
Internal Storage 32 GB (Philippines), non-expandable
Camera 4 UltraPixels, 2688 x 1520 pixels, autofocus, back-illuminated sensor, and LED flash, 2.1 MegaPixels front camera
Video Capture Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for both front and back cameras
Audio and Video Playback DivX/XviD/MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV/MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV/FLAC player
Ports microUSB v2.0, TV-out (via MHL A/V link), 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL, NFC depending on market
GPS Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G Network LTE
SIM Card Type microSIM
Battery Non-removable Li-Po 2300 mAh
Uptime TBD
Value-Added Features Full Metal Frame, HTC Sense 5.0, UltraPixel Imaging Innovation
Announcement February 2013
Availability TP Guesstimate: Q2 2013
Official: May 24, 2013
Price TP Guesstimate: Php 35,000 - Php 36,000
Official SRP: Php 32,990