HTC One M9: My bitter disappoinment

[Slick1020]

I own a Galaxy S5 currently and I'm almost certain that I'll be getting the M9. I see a lot of people talking down on the M9 and I can understand why. The S6 is not an option for me. I want to try the M9 and the fact that it has a smaller battery and no Micro SD slot is a deal breaker. I think the M8 is awesome and I almost got one a few months ago so the M9 is good for me. Hopefully they get the camera software optimized before release.

If HTC decides to not include a Micro SD slot next year what will you do? Like prices for the airlines these smartphone manufacturers follow each other's lead. Micro SD and removeable batteries are dead. Looking at HTC's current pattern they will remove the micro SD next year like they did with the M7. They don't give a crap about what we want. Hence the M9 design problem we have.

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[Slick1020]

Hey look, my speakers grew a phone! Waddya gonna do as HTC goes out of business later this year?

That's just wrong. I never would say that because I thought HTC would surprise us this year. Did the American division of HTC not say something like you are committing suicide by not changing the look of the device? In the past they have done it so they played it SAFE this time around.

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[ABOSWORTH007]

If HTC decides to not include a Micro SD slot next year what will you do? Like prices for the airlines these smartphone manufacturers follow each other's lead. Micro SD and removeable batteries are dead. Looking at HTC's current pattern they will remove the micro SD next year like they did with the M7. They don't give a craps about what we want. Hence the M9 problem we have.

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I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I've still got plenty of options that offer SD card options so now so...

 

[Slick1020]

To those that jump to Samsung: Enjoy that TouchWiz! I won't. But I will be looking at battery life tests before I upgrade.

If Sammy has the better battery life you will probably jump ship.

I told my parents and sister last year to get the M8. My sister said the battery in the S5 was better after having the M8 for a few days. So my sister and parents all got an S5. I was like you missed an opportunity HTC.

I would suggest HTC send out phones with apps that don't activate until you actually use them. But then again the screen and resources use up the most battery according to my GSAM app. So maybe my sister was on full brightness.

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[Inders99]

That's just wrong. I never would say that because I thought HTC would surprise us this year. Did the American division of HTC not say something like you are committing suicide by not changing the look of the device? In the past they have done it so they played it SAFE this time around.

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They played it safe last year and lost market share. This year will be ugly for them and the CEO will get canned.

 

[Slick1020]

They played it safe last year and lost market share. This year will be ugly for them and the CEO will get canned.

They actually turned a profit last year. I didn't think the M8 was beautiful. But maybe it's because I was forced to get the gunmetal color. Only Verizon had rights to the silver M8's. That probably cost HTC some sales in itself. I had a silver M7 and wanted a silver M8.

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[droidguy1964]

They played it safe last year and lost market share. This year will be ugly for them and the CEO will get canned.

I honestly believe that after this year HTC won't recover. They just barely turned a profit last year. This is going to be a bad year for HTC. The m9 is going to put them under.

 

[Slick1020]

Hey, they got their fitness band and virtual reality machine right? (Sarcasm)

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[clevin]

First, M8 is already iconic and fabulous in the looks department. It does not necessary need more upgrade.

If you must, I can suggest a few things though,

1. move the speakers to the top and bottom and shrink its vertical size.
2. find a way to get removable battery. Wola, differentiation factor!

 

[Shepx13]

First, M8 is already iconic and fabulous in the looks department. It does not necessary need more upgrade.

The M9 didn't necessarily need a new physical design, but considering the lackluster camera and decision to stay at 1080p (which I personally prefer), there's nothing about this phone to generate any hype. Sure, it's got an sd card slot, but that's about the only physical benefit this phone has compared to the S6.

Media and consumer buzz plays a big part in phone sales, especially for a smaller niche company as HTC is now. They rode their success from the m7 to the m8, even though the m8 was not a huge upgrade from the m7. Now that the m9 is even less of an upgrade from the m8, people are disappointed, and sales will suffer too.

I'm holding out hope we see a phablet from them that shows innovation, even though I don't like larger phones. But there is no way they'll get my $$ for the m9.

 

[Habiib]

The M9 didn't necessarily need a new physical design, but considering the lackluster camera and decision to stay at 1080p (which I personally prefer), there's nothing about this phone to generate any hype. Sure, it's got an sd card slot, but that's about the only physical benefit this phone has compared to the S6.

Media and consumer buzz plays a big part in phone sales, especially for a smaller niche company as HTC is now. They rode their success from the m7 to the m8, even though the m8 was not a huge upgrade from the m7. Now that the m9 is even less of an upgrade from the m8, people are disappointed, and sales will suffer too.

I'm holding out hope we see a phablet from them that shows innovation, even though I don't like larger phones. But there is no way they'll get my $$ for the m9.

How is it less of an upgrade from the M8? The CPU, GPU, RAM (amount and bandwidth), FF Camera, RF Camera, and radios of the M9 are all major upgrades from the M8. The only carryovers I see are the usage of the SLCD3 display panel and the BoomSound speakers that have been modified with additional audio processing (software side only I think). Yeah I wouldn't consider the M9 to be a minor upgrade by any means.

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[Shepx13]

How is it less of an upgrade from the M8? The CPU, GPU, RAM (amount and bandwidth), FF Camera, RF Camera, and radios of the M9 are all major upgrades from the M8. The only carryovers I see are the usage of the SLCD3 display panel and the BoomSound speakers that have been modified with additional audio processing (software side only I think). Yeah I wouldn't consider the M9 to be a minor upgrade by any means.

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Most of those things always get upgraded from one phone to the next. People EXPECT a new processor, radios, etc. But the rear camera is not an upgrade (except for those who think pixel #'s matter most, and they are wrong).

The simple point is this: there's nothing exciting about this phone. Zero. Nothing. Those of you trying to convince yourself otherwise are being Fanboys.

Same resolution screen
Same form factor (looks almost identical)
Slight Incremental camera upgrade (better and worse rear camera)
Much better front facing camera
Similar battery size (most likely slightly better battery life only)

What's the wow factor here? Nothing.

This doesn't make the m9 a BAD phone! It will be a good phone. But, it will not be a GREAT phone, and since there's not much to differentiate it from the competition, it's going to struggle sales wise.

I don't say that as a hater. I want to see HTC succeed, as I like Sense and believe they bring a lot to the table as an android manufacturer. And if it had a better camera, I'd get it over anything else at this time because function is more important than form FOR ME. But the average person does not purchase their phone on the same basis. They want something new and exciting, and the m9 isn't it. If it were, the overwhelming majority of media outlets wouldn't be expressing disappointment with their initial hands on.

 

[aallison1882]

How is it less of an upgrade from the M8? The CPU, GPU, RAM (amount and bandwidth), FF Camera, RF Camera, and radios of the M9 are all major upgrades from the M8. The only carryovers I see are the usage of the SLCD3 display panel and the BoomSound speakers that have been modified with additional audio processing (software side only I think). Yeah I wouldn't consider the M9 to be a minor upgrade by any means.

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I completely agree with your post. Most internals of the phone are upgraded to new technology or tweaked for better performance. I think a lot of us have a hard time seeing past the similar look to the M8. If the phone would have had a different look (like evleaks pic) I'm pretty sure we would not be having this discussion even though the physical look of the phone has less to do with the actual upgrade in hardware.

For me, I don't have the M7 or M8... I'm still rocking a dying Droid DNA so this is like upgrading from a Buick to a BMW.

 

[Shepx13]

I completely agree with your post. Most internals of the phone are upgraded to new technology or tweaked for better performance. I think a lot of us have a hard time seeing past the similar look to the M8. If the phone would have had a different look (like evleaks pic) I'm pretty sure we would not be having this discussion even though the physical look of the phone has less to do with the actual upgrade in hardware.

That's exactly my point. There's nothing for the average person to get excited about when buying this phone. At least with the m8, the Ultra pixel camera was a great thing for low-light and indoor photos.

What does it have next to the Galaxy s6? Touchwiz haters (myself inckuded) and sd card aficionados are in a minority.

Most people don't visit these sites and understand the inner workings or comparison between an exynos and qualcom chip. They see: Screen size/resolution, form factor, camera quality, battery life expectancy. That's pretty much it.

 

[AdamHunterATC]

This thread is funny.

It's pretty obvious we're at the point where smartphones can't really "wow" us anymore. I mean, how many ways can you make a rectangle slab? We've hit a plateau. To expect some kind of amazing redesign every year is unrealistic at this point.

To reference the iPhone, this is clearly an "S" update for HTC. They aren't targeting M8 owners with this. They are targeting M7 owners coming off of their 2-year contracts, as well as possible new HTC owners.

 

[neo905]

This thread is funny.

It's pretty obvious we're at the point where smartphones can't really "wow" us anymore. I mean, how many ways can you make a rectangle slab? We've hit a plateau. To expect some kind of amazing redesign every year is unrealistic at this point.

To reference the iPhone, this is clearly an "S" update for HTC. They aren't targeting M8 owners with this. They are targeting M7 owners coming off of their 2-year contracts, as well as possible new HTC owners.

I am an M7 owner and I disagree with you. The worst thing that happened to HTC was the evleaks. I would have bought that day one. Instead we get a presentation from the CEO who couldn't wait to move on to the new products they have which I have zero interest in. If he isn't passionate enough about the product why should I. Not having OIS on the M9 when my M7 has it is bad. Not nailing the camera and the software in general out the gate is bad. What were they doing all year? I have been a huge supporter of their phones but they are just taking that for granted with this effort. Nothing excites me about this phone at all. I am still going to kick the tires of it in person but at this point I am more interested in the S6. At least Samsung put more effort into it and addressed most of the complaints. The compromise about SD card and removable battery doesn't matter to me. I also would consider the Z4 as well. In an environment where everyone in the industry is stepping up their game to remain relevant HTC is standing pat and they are in no position to do so.

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[aokusman]

The bezel and uneven speakers just won't let me like this phone.

 

[markymark]

This thread is funny.

It's pretty obvious we're at the point where smartphones can't really "wow" us anymore. I mean, how many ways can you make a rectangle slab? We've hit a plateau. To expect some kind of amazing redesign every year is unrealistic at this point.

To reference the iPhone, this is clearly an "S" update for HTC. They aren't targeting M8 owners with this. They are targeting M7 owners coming off of their 2-year contracts, as well as possible new HTC owners.

The evleaks render of the M9 would have been a "wow". The S6 Edge is wowing a lot of people. The new slightly improved M8 version of the M9 was pretty much a giant thud. Nobody was expecting amazing. But something different and a little more innovative would have been nice. The M8 form factor looks old and stale now, especially compared to the evleaks renders. HTC dropped the ball here. Especially if the poor camera performance turns out to be true. That was the one thing they really needed to get right this time. I never considered getting a Samsung phone in the past but I am taking a serious look at the S6 edge.

 

[Shepx13]

This thread is funny.

It's pretty obvious we're at the point where smartphones can't really "wow" us anymore. I mean, how many ways can you make a rectangle slab? We've hit a plateau. To expect some kind of amazing redesign every year is unrealistic at this point.

To reference the iPhone, this is clearly an "S" update for HTC. They aren't targeting M8 owners with this. They are targeting M7 owners coming off of their 2-year contracts, as well as possible new HTC owners.

The problem with your statement is that the m7 and m8 were already almost identical. So, the m8 would have been the "s" model for the iPhone analogy.

We're now 3 years in for a similar design.

I dislike many things about Apple, but they have the 2 year window for redesign down pat. Why does it matter? Well, as most people upgrade their phones roughly every 2 years, each iPhone they get is usually drastically different that their previous.

People coming from the m7 to an m9? It's too similar of a phone. You're going to struggle growing your customer base like that. Think the average customer is going to get excited over a Qualcomm 810 chip? Not a chance.

It doesn't matter what the product: car, house, watch, TV, etc. People want new and shiny.

 

[Habiib]

What's the wow factor here? Nothing .

The simple point is this: there's nothing exciting about this phone. Zero. Nothing. Those of you trying to convince yourself otherwise are being Fanboys.

I don't say that as a hater. I want to see HTC succeed, as I like Sense and believe they bring a lot to the table as an android manufacturer. And if it had a better camera, I'd get it over anything else at this time because function is more important to me

Your talking points are not cohesive and seem contradictory. You said that the M9 didn't really need a new design, which only leaves the specs in need of change. Again, sans the display technology, every facet of the outgoing M8 has been upgraded or modified. Which again are not exciting enough, but you'd forgive the lackluster appeal of the M9 if it had a better camera? So others that don't agree with you are fanboys? Where's the logic or rational in that statement? No one is attempting to change your opinion, but your assertions sound strange to me when I read what you're using to support your stance.

Most of those things always get upgraded from one phone to the next. People EXPECT a new processor, radios, etc. But the rear camera is not an upgrade (except for those who think pixel #'s matter most, and they are wrong).

You seem to rely on reviewers input at times and if you go back to what the main gripes were about the M8, it was the low MP count. Also, it is you who are wrong. Megapixels most certainly do matter when doing video recording. Attempting to perform digital zooming with a lower megapixel sensor will lead to a huge falloff in detail versus a higher MP sensor.

Same resolution screen

Incrementing the resolution would have provided 0 improvements from a functional or visual standpoint. If you think otherwise, I challenge you to name some

Same form factor (looks almost identical)

All dimensions have been modified. The aesthetics have been modified from the control button layout and design, a revised outer shell and material finishing process to address common usability and handling issues noted with the M8

Slight Incremental camera upgrade (better and worse rear camera)

Not really. The M9 gained EIS which was completely absent the M8 (which 86'd OIS). The M9 also gained 4K video recording along with other capture frame rate improvements. It will not perform as well in lowlight without incurring noise and other artifacts that might come from software processing that tries to compensate

Much better front facing camera

Yes with the exception of a smaller FOV

Similar battery size (most likely slightly better battery life only)

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. The battery size isn't an indicator of anything concrete at the moment. Considering that its competitor opted for an even smaller capacity battery, I don't see it being negatively affected either, since other factors are what will impact the battery lifespan per charge

This doesn't make the m9 a BAD phone! It will be a good phone. But, it will not be a GREAT phone, and since there's not much to differentiate it from the competition, it's going to struggle sales wise.

There is nothing that HTC could have done to not struggle saleswise against their competitors. They could have added the ability for the M9 to raise the dead from the grave and it still would not come close to the leaders. A really quick indicator is that I had received an email from Best Buy to preorder the next big thing (Galaxy S6), likewise about the text I received from my carrier. Although it all sounds anecdotal, none of those solicitations are tailored for me.

But the average person does not purchase their phone on the same basis. They want something new and exciting, and the m9 isn't it. If it were, the overwhelming majority of media outlets wouldn't be expressing disappointment with their initial hands on.

The M9 isn't exciting because the media outlets say so or because you say so?? Are the media outlets representative of the average person or tech enthusiast. Are you stating that as an absolute fact or your opinion? Are you speaking for the average person or yourself? If anything what does the average person consider to be exciting about a phone. What would they consider exciting about the M9? If you don't have an answer, then how can you make such an assertion about what the average person wants?

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