HTC has introduced a new smartphone in China that should go on sale soon. Priced at a little less than $400, the new HTC One X9 is more like an upgrade from the One A9 that was released a few months ago.

The phone is built around a 5.5-inch Full HD display and sports MediaTek’s Helio X10 chip with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. There’s also a 13MP camera at the back that’s capable of capturing 4K video and comes with optical image stabilization.

HTC has installed an UltraPixel camera on the front and a 3000mAh battery on the One X9 as well. However, unlike the A9, this phone doesn’t have a fingerprint reader and there’s no word yet on what version of Android the phone will have when it hits the shelves.

Those who are interested in getting the One X9 should be available soon for a price tag of around $370.

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While most companies have some sort of preview program to let consumers see unreleased versions of its app and phones (like Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program), these programs are usually meant for developers.

HTC is trying to break the mold and get a broader audience by launching its own preview program, aptly named HTC Preview.

Interested individuals need only to answer a short questionnaire on the company’s website. Questions include the kind of smartphone the user currently has, top features they use on a smartphone and the type of accessories they use with their phones to name a few.

As part of the program, users will gain access to unreleased apps and even devices such as phones and accessories. They will be required to provide feedback on certain things depending on the project they’re matched with.

Of course there will be a non-disclosure agreement that prevents participants of the program from sharing any information they might encounter during the program.

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HTC recently announced the One A9, a mid-range(ish) Android smartphone that runs the latest version of Google’s operating system clad in an all-metal body.

The One A9 shares the same footprint as the company’s flagship model with a 5.0-inch 1080p screen of the AMOLED variety. IT also has a Snapdragon 617 chip that features an octa-core processor, an Adreno 405 GPU, 2 or 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable internal storage.

The main camera at the back has a 13MP sensor and is covered by a sapphire crystal lens. It also has auto-focus, an f/2.0 aperture and support for 1080p video recording. The front camera on the other hand has an UltraPixel sensor with fixed focus, f/2.0 aperture and again Full HD video recording.

In the connectivity department, HTC has included Bluetooth v4.1, Wi-Fi ac, a micro-USB 2.0 port and GPS with GLONASS.

The One A9 also has a 2150mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 2.0. HTC has tossed the front-facing speakers out of the window and opted for a single speaker at the bottom just like its rivals from Korea and the USA. The place vacated by the BoomSound speakers is now occupied by a fingerprint scanner that doubles as the Home key but is not clickable.

As mentioned before the HTC One A9 will run the latest iteration of Android – version 6 Marshmallow of course with HTC Sense on top.  HTC has also lifted the One A9 a notch higher than its competitors by offering not one, not two but four color options for the device: Opal sliver, Carbon Grey, Deep Garnet and Topaz Gold.

There’s no word on pricing and shipping dates yet.

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Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has recently unveiled a new model under its Butterfly phablet series – the HTC Butterfly 3, which closely resembles the J Butterfly that was announced last year.

The phone comes with a 5.2-inch QHD display and runs a Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable onboard storage.

HTC has put a 20.2MP camera at the back that’s partnered with a secondary sensor to capture distance information. This kind of setup which the company calls Duo setup allows for post-shot autofocusing and other effects. The camera also boasts a crystal-protected f/2.2 lens and dual-tone LED flash. The front-facing snapper has a 13MP BSI sensor and an f/2.0 aperture and can record full HD videos. 

It also comes with a 2700mAh battery, Android 5.0 Lollipop and IP57 certification. The phone will be available starting October 20 for around $600. There’s no word yet on pricing and availability for other markets has not been disclosed yet.

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HTC has recently announced a new phablet in China that offers consumers with mid-range(ish) specs with a subtle design and price tag of $269.

The device is powered by a MediaTek MT6753 chip with 64-bit 1.3GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. The display is a 5.5-inch 720p IPS panel and there’s also BoomSound stereo speakers, a 13MP main camera and a 5MP selfie sensor at the front.

In the connectivity department, the Desire 728 has LTE Cat 4 along with the usual plethora of wireless connectivity features in typical smartphones. The handset is offered in only a dual-SIM version in different colors including white, gray, black and gold.

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The United States is getting a lot of attention from smartphone makers this week. Apart from the ZTE Axon, HTC has announced four new Desire models heading states side in the weeks ahead. All four phones will sport a Snapdragon 210 chip with a 1.1GHz quad-core processor, Android 5.1 Lollipop with Sense UI and 4G LTE connectivity.

The biggest of the bunch is the Desire 626 with its 5-inch HD display. It also has 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, an 8MP+5MP camera combo and a 2000mAh battery. Both front and rear camera are capable of capturing HD videos and the rear one gets LED flash. In the connectivity department, the Desire 626 offers Bluetooth v4.1, Wi-Fi b/g/n, a microUSB 2.0 port and NFC.

A half notch down the Desire 626 is the Desire 626s, which packs 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage and an 8MP+2MP camera combo, while the rest of the specs are identical to that of the Desire 626.

Users with smaller hands can settle for the Desire 526. It has a 4.7-inch display with qHD resolution, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage an 8MP+2MP camera combo, a 2000mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi b/g/n and micro USB 2.0.

Finally, there’s the Desire 520, the most affordable model of the bunch. It features a 4.5-inch FWVGA screen, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, an 8MP+2MP camera combo and a 2000mAh battery.

There’s no concrete information yet on pricing and availability, but HTC along with its carrier partners will likely announce these in the coming weeks.

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HTC unveiled this week its newest model to join the One family – the One ME. The handset was unveiled in China and features Mediatek’s latest X20 chip.

Unlike the flagship One M9, the ME is covered in polycarbonate plastic. The innards will be composed of a Mediatek X20 chip featuring a 64-bit 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It will also come with a 5.2-inch QHD display with a fingerprint sensor as well as a 20MP rear camera that is capable of 4K video capture.

At the front is a 4MP Ultlrapixel snapper that sits alongside HTC’s BoomSound speakers with Dolby Surround. Battery is delivered by a 2840mAh battery while connectivity features include LTE, Bluetooth v4.1, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC and support for two SIM cards.

No word yet on pricing and availability, but HTC will offer the One ME in three different colors: meteor grey, gold sepia and rose gold.

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