The HTC One made shook the mobile world earlier this year, with its high quality, brushed aluminium design. If you like the One but didn't think it was big enough, then you're certainly in for a treat with the HTC One Max! Agent Naish talks us through what we can expect to see from the new phablet.
Design
The HTC One Max will feature the same unibody aluminium design that made the One so popular, which is a good move by HTC. This look is already becoming a flagship feature of HTC, adding a touch of fashion and style to the Android market. The obvious difference is the size, as its 'Max'label suggests, with the One Max featuring a 5.9-inch screen. The phone will only be a fraction thicker however, meaning it will still be able to slip comfortably in most pockets despite its size. As for the general feel of the phone and its interface, just picture the One but bigger. Overall, here aren't many changes in this regard, which considering the newfound popularity of the HTC One, can't be a bad thing at all.
Hardware
As for processing power, the HTC One Max is using a 1.7 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600: the exact same chip as the HTC One. Like its predecessor it comes with 2GB of RAM. While the screen may be bigger than the HTC One, both handsets display at 1080p, meaning the same insides don't have much extra to cope with and the One Max won't struggle to display on the larger screen.
We're also seeing the same camera as taken from the One, a 4MP main and 2.1 megapixel front camera - more than sufficient for video calling, and taking photos on the go.
An interesting change to note however is the storage. While the One Max starts smaller with a 16GB and 32GB model, HTC have added a microSD slot to allow up to 64GB of extra memory; a feature that was notably absent from the One.
The battery will also be bigger in the One Max, coming in at 3300mAh. But don't expect any extra battery life, as lighting up that large screen will almost certainly be a drain on that extra juice!
Fingerprint scanner
HTC have also added a fingerprint scanner, located at the back of the phone underneath the camera.
While we will have to wait until we get our hands on the device to make a judgement, it sounds like an interesting addition.
Using the scanner you will be able to unlock your handset as well as launch 3 different apps by scanning 3 different fingers. Talk about having quick launch at your fingertips!
Software
The HTC One Max will come with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean preloaded, and a slightly upgraded version of the HTC Sense UI. For the most part, the software you see will be a carbon copy from the HTC One, which isn't bad at all considering the Sense UI has been very well received. There will be additions to accommodate the finger print scanner, but the sense UI will be back for the One Max.
Conclusion
If you're in the market for a phone or tablet, the HTC One Max is a serious contender. A screen this size may be bigger than you expect, so if you're thinking of buying a phablet it may be worth getting your hands on one in store before making your mind up. For a heavy media user, the 5.9-inch 1080p display and build quality we're now seeing from HTC makes this a very compelling package. As for how well the fingerprint scanner works for security and app launching, we will have to wait and see. The One Max will initially be a Vodafone exclusive when the phone launches later this month, but that may change in time.
Be sure to check back with us later this month for Geek Squad's full expert review of the HTC One Max.