Some reasons to stay with M8 -
- HTC has the best build quality and design among all Android OEM's. Premium brand maker. Even better designs than Sony and Motorola. They take more chances than Apple. True, a few hideous clunkers here and there but their history in design has always been top-notch since the Touch Diamond. Even the plastic they use is excellent. M8 is the best-looking design flagship for 2014 and might remain so even after the iPhone 6 gets officially announced. That's how good the M7 was last year that rehashing it still keeps them up there.
- External sound is generally class-leading with BoomSound. Even Sony Xperia Z line have tinny speakers excluding the Z2 which went dual front-facing. Internal sound is up there with the best like Sony sans Beats Audio nowadays.
- The Super LCD they use is generally one of the nicest displays out there. Truly a joy to use while watching movies. Never too cool (blueish) or warm (yellowish). Neutral.
- Headphones that come with the phone is the best I ever owned.
- More metal but less overheat compared to its predecessor thanks to the cool and power efficient Snapdragon 801, 300 more mAh than M7, and HTC's own battery optimizations.
- Expandable memory slot and better battery life makes it better than its predecessor by those two reasons alone not to mention the double tap feature to wake screen up for M8 owners.
- Sense has now become among the best Android skins and 6 seems even faster and more fluid than before. LG even took some cues from HTC's icons and revamped LG's skin for the better. HTC did copy LG's Knock-On feature.
- HTC has improved on updating for both Android and Sense. It seems like 2013 was when they pressed the reset button and went back to year (or step) "One" as most 2012 phones like the One X, One S, and prior got shutout completely from official updates.
- IR blaster and Zoe gallery app are pretty cool.
Some reasons to ditch M8 -
- HTC's financial security looks gloomy. It actually shrank marketshare this year in the US at 5%. Very little marketshare in Asia other than its home country of Taiwan. Isn't top 10 in China.
- Smartphones is HTC's main source of income. They rely on Microsoft and Google's mobile OSes. No retail stores. No other product segments they are successful in. One-trick pony. Even a 4-year old company like Xiaomi is expanding their product line and already have a mascot with their Mitoo bunny that they sell for $16 as plush toys. If you like ecosystems, HTC is NOT for you.
- Marketing is poor and lack of retail stores also prevents an ecosystem. Relies heavily on carriers to market their products which is a problem for most Android OEM's other than Samsung. Sony and LG already have a reputation in other industries.
- Questionable customer service. With Apple, they are willing to give you a newer replacement on the same day and sometimes no charge! Not wait two weeks by shipping it to their service centers only to receive sometimes a refurbished one. Sony is also guilty of this.
- Unremovable battery. The iPhones are also unremovable but the screws underneath are easy to remove to slide off its backplate.
- Repairability rating is very poor based from iFixit. Difficult to crack open. Once metal surface dents or scrapes, it doesn't go away. This is why metal is overrated but most people are brainwashed into thinking metal rules, plastic sucks when the latter is more practical for damages. Easier to remove and replace. Less signal blockage. Lower SAR. Lighter and lesser heat.
- Weak UltraPixel camera (again) which is nowhere the level of 5s, S5, Z2, and Lumia flagships. Rear dual cameras looks odd and they aren't protected by sapphire crystal like the iPhone 5/5s and G2/G3. Two lens to easily scratch up.
- Lack of accessories. Samsung helped popularize the flip covers and LG's G3 has a much nicer flip cover than HTC's.
- iPhones have better resell value. HTC does not since far lesser demand for them. One of the HTC retail stores here might actually be closing down. Rarely do I see anyone go inside. The M8 was never even released here because the M7 was a commercial flop locally. People were too busy buying iP5s, GS4, GNote 3, Sony, Lenovo, or local brands last year. HTC is one of the major global brands that you can also consider "obscure" to the general masses.
I feel HTC is one generation away of making the near-perfect smartphone for them. Ditch the UltraPixel. Find a way to add a removable back cover which was common back in 2010. Maybe add water/dust resistance like the Butterfly 2. I would like HTC to go back to the M7 design and similar footprint but give it M8's rounded corners, memory slot, and 5-inch screen for their M9. Read they will work with Bose to trim the speaker bezel. Nice.
Even after all that, who knows? Might NOT be enough in a crowded field. Competition is getting stronger with the rise of Chinese brands. Personally, I have no interest in iPhone 6 or its ecosystem. I would keep my M7 for sentimental value even with all its flaws. It still would make a great backup phone and portable media player. I don't keep my phones longer than 2-3 years. It would have to be a minimum of the LG G3 specs/design for me to sell it off.
Right now, I don't feel the G3 is $200-$300 better than the M7 or 2-3x pricier than a Mi 3 or Mi 4. Battery life is suspect trying to power a useless feature to me like a 2k resolution. But it is removable and has a comfortable feel. The Z2 interests me with the all-day battery life, but I don't like the sides, rear glass, and it overheats alot. It is also more expensive than the G3 while being older and less attractive or comfortable. I would keep the M7 until something really better comes out.
M7 receiving multiple 2013 smartphone of the year awards was like HTC receiving their lifetime achievement awards. M7 was a pinnacle achievement and accumulation of their past and present at the time. M8 did improve upon it the way The Godfather Part II was an improvement to the original, but perhaps M9 or M10 could be HTC's swan song. The only person who can really decide is yourself and which one you will feel more comfortable to use in the long run.
)