So I admit off the bat, I'm an Apple fan. Not a fanboy, but a fan indeed.
In terms of phones, I've owned the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and currently I use an iPhone 5. I upgrade immediately, like a good Apple soldier should.
My neighbor yesterday asked me which phone he should buy. He has been using an iPhone 4 up till this point, and he told me he wants a larger screen, - larger than even the iPhone 5.
Given that the Galaxy S4 is not available yet, I recommended the HTC One, since by all accounts it's the best Android device actually out there in the wild.
He complied, and brought home the One today. I got to play with it tonight, and here are my thoughts...
1.) This is the very first Android device that truly rivals Apple in terms of design. While the back is just a tad busy for an Apple device, the build quality is absolutely fantastic. This is without doubt, the best-designed Android phone on the market.
2.) The screen is absolutely stunning. Yes, it's even more stunning than the iPhone 5 display. I opened up the New York Times full site, and text was even MORE readable on this display, even aside from the size difference between the two. I know people talk about Retina this and Retina that. Fact is, for me at least, I still want a sharper display, and when you put the HTC One next to the iPhone 5, what I've wanted in terms of PPI is right there, easily visible. It's truly stunning, and being NOT an AMOLED screen, it comes without all the deficiencies inherent in that tech (blue whites, lack of white brightness, over-saturated colors etc). The HTC One has 469 ppi, vs 326 ppi on the iPhone 4/4S/5. The difference, to me, is as obvious as a smack in the face. I love it. As far as I'm concerned, the HTC One has the true Retina display.
3.) The speakers raise the bar for what a phone can do. No more channeling sound to the front by cupping your hand around the bottom of the phone when watching movies/YouTube etc. The HTC One has the best speakers I've ever heard on a phone. Two speakers, front facing = game changer for the phone multimedia space.
4.) The ui responsiveness has vastly improved on these devices compared to the previous generation. I've had extensive playtime with my other neighbor's Galaxy Nexus, and the HTC One absolutely destroys the Galaxy Nexus in terms of response. Scrolling up and down web-pages is as close to Apple-like as it gets now, with almost imperceptible lag when doing so. Rotating the screen takes just milliseconds now. Everything is just so smooth.
Just a few cons from my time with the One:
5.) Apps-wise, no comparison. The iPhone has the HTC, and any Android device - soundly beaten.
6.) The One's power button is over on the top left vs top right on the iPhone 5. I grab my phone out of my left pocket with my left hand, so the power-button location is easily hit on the top right. iPhone wins that one.
So what's an Apple lover to do?
I'm torn. So, so torn. I absolutely love the HTC One. I really do. I'm also heavily invested in the Apple world, with numerous Macs, Apple accessories etc littered about my house and office.
But... my oh my is the HTC One a game-changer on the Android front. There is absolutely something to be said for the premium feel the One offers that the Galaxy S4 simply will never do (based on my plastic-y experience when toying with the S3).
Anyway, for those with no tether to Apple or Google, I highly, HIGHLY recommend spending some time with the HTC One. It's quite possibly the best phone on the market right now.
For the first time ever since handling many, many Android phones: Apple - the ball's in your court.
(Picture taken with my iPhone 5, of course!)
