The Lifestyle model looks more like a typical buffed-up 100€ smartphone, not a 350€ one. Maybe a bit more due to speaker and camera. But the pricing is way off.
I really don't understand these smartphones anymore. There are already so many decent/cheap 5.5" Android phones that are almost nearly identical and yet companies keep forking them out. How many people would by a 300usd 5.5" phones when there is the OnePlus3 for a similar price with the QS820 (just to name one)?
Around where I live people don't choose phones, carriers choose phones and people select from the menu. So HTC goes to the carrier and says:
We can get you 100 000 of these mid range phones for price X if you don't stock our rivals. Around here carriers stock three brands - iPhone, Samsung and HTC. If I show someone my Xiaomi they think it comes from Mars. They also think I am deluded when I tell them it is a 'good phone'.
This is very true. Most people I meet have no idea what my Nexus 6P is when they see it and have never heard of it. I'm always asked if it's the new Note phone. If it's not Apple, Samsung, or Motorola's Droid lineup then they'll never see it in a Verizon store and thus will never know about it. I tried to get my girlfriend to move to a Nexus 5X after she broke her Galaxy S5 but refused to buy a phone without holding it in the store first. She now owns a Galaxy S7.
I feel like there's a good chance someone will know what a Nexus is. When I was showing my Note II, I had the feeling people knew what it was (especially when I said "Galaxy").
Now I show people my Blu phone, and they're like, "Um... what's that?"
Just the other night I was telling the girls in the bar, "If you can name the model of this phone - I'll give it to ya." Yes, a bold statment indeed. They were falling over each other with "S5, no, Note 7, no its a J7!" Nobody got it.
Samsung A9 Pro 6 to be exact. And I'll have another Heineken thanks.
Snapdragon 400? TSMC is still manufacturing those?
HTC is probably the greediest company in what relates to SoCs for their non-flagship phones. How much are they saving by using Snapdragon 400 instead of 410 or even 430? And by using Mediatek P10 instead of Snapdragon 650?
The Snapdragon 400 in a 250GBP phone SoCs is ridiculous, the user experience will be ridiculous and the brand will look ridiculous in the process.
This reminds me of all those M9 rebadges that HTC did last year with 2 year-old mediatek chipsets.
I don't get it either. SD650 would be perfect for a midrange phone, yet practically noone seem to use it. How much more would it cost? 10$? Instead we get "many A53" or the current flagship SOC in phones >600$.
So almost a year after A35 announcement, there is no sight of it in commercial whatsoever. Yet, we still get the bloody legendary SD400 in 2016. Here I am still using the 1st gen moto G with SD400 from yesteryear. People might as well buy yesteryear products then.
Whatever they're smoking at HTC and decided to use SD400, that particular substance should be banned.
Seriously?? A SD 400 in a "mid-range" phone in 2016? What is HTC thinking using a low end chip from 2013? Did Qualcomm have a bunch of these sitting around that they donated to HTC? Would it be too much to ask to throw in say a SD 650?
Cher Wang, the CEO & President just won't understand HTC is NOT a leading brand anymore and still charge people a ton for it's brand. Mediocre hardware but premium price. Fail.
HTC is not alone with the pricing issue, Huawei is also to blame. More people probably kept buying these slim, nice looking phones despite the inferior specs versus a phone with good hardware but using less expensive materials.
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pdf - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
The branding is way off point here - giving a device the 'Pro' moniker but stuffing it with a MediaTek SOC is plain wrong IMO.weilin - Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - link
possibly, but look at the hardware, 4x A7s vs 8x A53s. the MediaTek SOC is definitely the higher performing one. Also, Cat4 vs Cat6 LTE...The way I see it, it's not so much why is the Pro using an MediaTek SOC as it's why is the Lifestyle using such an ancient Qualcomm SOC...
brucethemoose - Sunday, September 25, 2016 - link
The worst part is the "10" branding.HTC finally simplified their high end smartphone branding, then they just went and muddied it up again.
nightbringer57 - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
250 GBP?The Lifestyle model looks more like a typical buffed-up 100€ smartphone, not a 350€ one. Maybe a bit more due to speaker and camera. But the pricing is way off.
yankeeDDL - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
I really don't understand these smartphones anymore.There are already so many decent/cheap 5.5" Android phones that are almost nearly identical and yet companies keep forking them out. How many people would by a 300usd 5.5" phones when there is the OnePlus3 for a similar price with the QS820 (just to name one)?
Amandtec - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Around where I live people don't choose phones, carriers choose phones and people select from the menu. So HTC goes to the carrier and says:We can get you 100 000 of these mid range phones for price X if you don't stock our rivals. Around here carriers stock three brands - iPhone, Samsung and HTC. If I show someone my Xiaomi they think it comes from Mars. They also think I am deluded when I tell them it is a 'good phone'.
beginner99 - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Do you have a mi5? Are you happy with it? Considering to import it (EU and don't need band 20).WithoutWeakness - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
This is very true. Most people I meet have no idea what my Nexus 6P is when they see it and have never heard of it. I'm always asked if it's the new Note phone. If it's not Apple, Samsung, or Motorola's Droid lineup then they'll never see it in a Verizon store and thus will never know about it. I tried to get my girlfriend to move to a Nexus 5X after she broke her Galaxy S5 but refused to buy a phone without holding it in the store first. She now owns a Galaxy S7.mkozakewich - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
I feel like there's a good chance someone will know what a Nexus is. When I was showing my Note II, I had the feeling people knew what it was (especially when I said "Galaxy").Now I show people my Blu phone, and they're like, "Um... what's that?"
Notmyusualid - Thursday, September 22, 2016 - link
Not a million miles from the truth...Just the other night I was telling the girls in the bar, "If you can name the model of this phone - I'll give it to ya." Yes, a bold statment indeed. They were falling over each other with "S5, no, Note 7, no its a J7!" Nobody got it.
Samsung A9 Pro 6 to be exact. And I'll have another Heineken thanks.
:) Groans all round....
ToTTenTranz - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Snapdragon 400?TSMC is still manufacturing those?
HTC is probably the greediest company in what relates to SoCs for their non-flagship phones.
How much are they saving by using Snapdragon 400 instead of 410 or even 430? And by using Mediatek P10 instead of Snapdragon 650?
The Snapdragon 400 in a 250GBP phone SoCs is ridiculous, the user experience will be ridiculous and the brand will look ridiculous in the process.
This reminds me of all those M9 rebadges that HTC did last year with 2 year-old mediatek chipsets.
MrSpadge - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
I don't get it either. SD650 would be perfect for a midrange phone, yet practically noone seem to use it. How much more would it cost? 10$? Instead we get "many A53" or the current flagship SOC in phones >600$.WorldWithoutMadness - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
So almost a year after A35 announcement, there is no sight of it in commercial whatsoever. Yet, we still get the bloody legendary SD400 in 2016. Here I am still using the 1st gen moto G with SD400 from yesteryear. People might as well buy yesteryear products then.Whatever they're smoking at HTC and decided to use SD400, that particular substance should be banned.
beginner99 - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
+++ for capacitive buttons--- for size and weight (too big)
Can someone please make a reasonable sized phone (5" max) with capacitive buttons? S7 is close but messes up the button order + 1 physical one.
deskjob - Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - link
I feel the same. And actually looking at the HTC 10... will probably grab one at the next promozeeBomb - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Nobody gonna be buying these...wtf HTC? Their roadmap for mid rangers aren't going no where.Lolimaster - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
HTC is a goner, they price literal crap to the same price of near flagship specs big chinese smartphones.Mid range smartphones in the west (and high end) are a total scam. Over $300 for that sh*t. LOL
umcool - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
these look very similar to the alleged Google Pixel leaks (front)...Either they are using the same production line, or the leaks were this phone lol
bodonnell - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Seriously?? A SD 400 in a "mid-range" phone in 2016? What is HTC thinking using a low end chip from 2013? Did Qualcomm have a bunch of these sitting around that they donated to HTC?Would it be too much to ask to throw in say a SD 650?
mxnerd - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
Cher Wang, the CEO & President just won't understand HTC is NOT a leading brand anymore and still charge people a ton for it's brand. Mediocre hardware but premium price. Fail.zodiacfml - Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - link
HTC is not alone with the pricing issue, Huawei is also to blame. More people probably kept buying these slim, nice looking phones despite the inferior specs versus a phone with good hardware but using less expensive materials.vladimirovich - Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - link
MediaTek SOC is so PROnightyknight - Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - link
I rather paid more if they able to fit Snapdragon 625 into the Pro version.AbRASiON - Wednesday, September 28, 2016 - link
As I say in every phone article.No physical home button, no sale.