Last year, HTC released a mucho simpático One A9 - a fine looking, compact midranger that was crafted out of metal before it was cool for the category. Many saw it as an iPhone wannabe, but we beg to differ, it was pretty much a chicken and egg question at the time. Now, at IFA 2016, HTC unveiled the A9's successor, or, rather, regressor, called.. you'd never guess it.. One A9s. Tick-tock cycles for the win.
The HTC One A9s doesn't look that much different from the metal A9, but the "s" definitely doesn't stand for "speed," or any upgrades, for that matter. It is rather the more affordable sibling of the A9, with a 5" HD LCD display, a MediaTek Helio P10 processor, 2/3 GB of RAM, depending on the configuration, and a 2300mAh battery. The 5 MP selfie camera now sits on the left, just like the 13 MP rear camera, while on the One A9 the rear shooter had a central position.
The inclusion of MediaTek chipset should give you a hint that the A9s is a phone that is destined for the midrange glory, as so many of HTC's handsets are lately, and the company says it will be more affordable than the A9, which shipped for $499, but now hovers around the $350 mark. The A9s does look like a compact and premium midrange handset, though, so hopefully HTC will decide to bring it sooner to market as well.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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