HTC digs its claws into Samsung following Galaxy S4 unveiling
HTC has issued a statement dismissing Samsung's Galaxy S4 as "more of the same," claiming the handset "pales in comparison to the all-aluminium unibody HTC One." The statement, attributed to recently-appointed Chief Marketing Officer Benjamin Ho, singles out the S4's plastic chassis and familiar design for criticism --
“With a continuation of a plastic body and a larger screen being the most obvious physical change, Samsung's new Galaxy pales in comparison to the all-aluminium unibody HTC One. This is more of the same.
“HTC remains the best option for those people looking for the best technology wrapped in premium design. Our customers want something different from the mainstream, who appear to be the target for the Galaxy. Our customers want original cutting-edge technology, mouth-watering design and a premium feel from their mobiles, which is why we created the HTC One.”
And HTC's reaction to the S4 wasn't limited to an official statement. Company reps dressed in HTC One shirts trolled the line outside Radio City Music Hall last night, handing out chips, hot chocolate and HTC One promo materials. Later in the night, the official @HTC Twitter account became a source of snarky live commentary and retweets.
Although it shouldn't surprise anyone to see a little smack-talking between competing OEMs, we don't recall HTC previously talking such a direct path of attack towards the rival that's cost it so much market share. It's significant to see this from a company that once (and still occasionally) calls itself "quietly brilliant."
Of course, HTC wasn't the only competitor trying to muscle in on Samsung's news cycle yesterday. LG hired bigger, brighter ads for its Optimus G above Samsung's Galaxy S4 teasers on Times Square, while Apple CMO Phil Schiller used an interview with the Wall Street Journal to talk crap about Samsung and Android in general. That just goes to show how significant a launch this is, and how dominant a force Samsung has become in the past year.
So, once the dust has settled, which will you be getting -- HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4? Be sure to vote in our weekly poll and have your say in the forums.
Reader comments
HTC: Galaxy S4 is 'more of the same,' 'pales in comparison' to HTC One
As many have said, HTC should be concentrating on themselves and talking up their USPs. Unfortunately for them, maybe they have realised they don't have that many!
Yes, the One looks far more stylish than the S4 but if that was the only consideration than we'd all still be buying iPhones! The S4 looks nice enough (albeit plasticky) and looks fine in a case. The S4 either equals or betters the One in nearly every other aspect.
Obviously, Sammy has a bigger marketing budget and are persuading many non-techie customers to buy on the strength of the brand =, but they still offer all the features that us techies want - Micro SDs, removable batteries, built-in OTG with root an option if the software is not to your taste.
I think think HTC can really compete with Sammy & Apple of a global scale so what they really need to do is listen to what customers want and not simply hope that they will win on looks alone. Add a Micro SD slot to the One and I bet they will get a lot more attention. The Nexus can get away with not having one as it is so cheap, HTC cannot
The Android community has turned into a bunch of hypocrites. Remember when the iPhone 3G to 3GS and the 4to 4S came out? You people were talking all kinds of crap about Apple. Fast forward to now... Samsung did the same exact thing with the S4 (or should I say S4s) and your all jumping all over it. Pathetic. Everyone has the right to buy/like whatever phone they want, but don't sit here talking bad about Apple then go and support Samsung.
OK, people. There's NO SUCH THING AS "BEST PHONE" because that is a completely subjective opinion that is going to different from person to person. Please quit yelling at each other just because we don't all think one phone or another is the perfect phone. It's pointless and juvenile.
OS Infighting. I remember the good old days when it was just Android vs. Apple, now its HTC vs Samsung. Ridiculous.
I'm not sure HTC has the room to talk just yet. The two devices have only just been announced so we really can't base say which one is better until the consumer has spoken.
Feeble attempts by other companies, Samsung will always be #1.
Cosmetically, the HTC One is a beautiful piece of hardware, nicer looking than the S4. Specswise, they're pretty much a wash, although I do like having a removable battery and microSD card slot - but both are going to be very fast with a nice big screen which is what matters most.
Both have some glitzy extensions to stock Android, none of which impress me. I'll be rooting my next phone and putting CM10 on it just to get rid of that OEM crap.
And THAT'S why I'll be getting an S4. I've been using an HTC Thunderbolt for 2 years. It's worked well. Had good specs when it was released. But it wasn't popular enough, and HTC wasn't developer-friendly enough. There was never an "official" Cyanogenmod release for the Thunderbolt, and although I've run 3 different kanged versions of CM7, none of them worked perfectly, and there never will be a working CM9 or CM10 for it. I'm getting a S4 because there's going to be a lot of them out there, and Samsung has a much more open record with regard to rooting/ROMing.
And none of them will work perfectly either. Nature of the beast. Never learn.
That's why 98% of users never root and rom. A total waste of time. For tweaker nerds only. Blah, blah blah blah blah.
I hate Samsung for not doing something exciting with their hardware (HTC One undoubtedly looks frickin' sexy)... But you have to admit, their doing good software-wise...
Uninstallable BLOAT
Aww man AC put gasoline in the fire and enraged commenters. Sigh
Simply puttin.. Similar to last year.. OneX was a better lookin phone than GS3, but at the end of 2012 GS3 toke all the awards n HTC were left empty handed, i can see something same happening this year. N to honest standing outside sammy's event n tryin to selling their phone is a new low for them. Dear htc spend money in marketin n advertising n not spoiling the brand image. Look at Sammy.. they r takin the likes of Apple in a manner which would hurt them more n not standing outside Apple stores.. u r jus shaming urself wid such stunts, pathetic. N now for HTC one or S4, simply puttin.. if u want a phone wid good looks n nice speakers and if external memory n removal battery n late android updates is not a issue wid u, then buy HTC ONE n to some extent Sony Z. Whereas if u want a phone wid more features, octa core processor, gr8 camera features, gr8 gesture features, fastest android updates by an OEM n looks r not ur priority then S4 is way ahead than HTC or Sony has to offer this year.
I have been burned way too many times by HTC. I absolutely hate HTC sense. I don't think I can put down my hard earned money on another HTC product.
You Android people are a bunch of infighting savages, bashing one another instead of being a united nation of droids. /troll /satire
You gotta love the arrogance of HTC! Their philosophy seems to be that they know what the people want. We must want whatever they want. There's no need to give users an option to turn features off if they don't want to use them because of course they all do. Before i got myS3 i owned the HTC Vivid and then the One X on At&t, however it quickly became obvious that HTC was becoming the iPhone of android world full of features and changes that they were all to comfortable ramming down your throat with no ability to turn them off.
Damn y'all people be going in over these cell phones smh haha bottom line both these companies are rich and were broke :/ lol
It's so funny how Sammy fanboys are now all of a sudden singing a different tune when it comes to bashing a competitor. Let's not forget the famous "how will they know I upgraded though" line and countless other smear campaigns Samsung participated in since the s2's release. Hypocrisy. It's almost as if if the Samsung fanboys have become so mindless and zombie like to the grasp of Sammy's 400 million dollar marketing blitz thst they get lost in this mind bending alternate reality.
The irony.
no dear the irony is HTC were left out widout any awards.. no innovation. they jus make good looking phones wid good speakers. last year the same was repeated wid ONE X n u know wat happened at the end of 2012.
Damn y'all people be going in over these cell phones smh haha bottom line both these companies are rich and were broke :/ lol
The one thing I haven't seen anyone comment on is the fact that some people missed the gs3 b/c of contract obligations. I've got the EVO 3d from launch and am just now getting ready to be eligible for upgrade. I figure I missed out on the gs3 and note 2. I wish the gs4 had more but will probably go for it or wait for the note 3. Most peoplecant afford to get every iteration of every phone so the gs4 is a pretty good step up for me.
Gosh there Mr. HTC, I do agree with you. Shame I'm on verizon and can't get your beautiful "One". Sigh....
More of the same phone that kicked your ass last year, and will do it again this year HTC. For all the build quality, why do HTC phones still feel second rate?
.
Come on... we are now going to start a war between htc and Samsung?... please, we're all using Android devices. I get the Apple vs Android but this is stupid. Know that when Google updates we all update. Aside from internal gimics and ouside diferenes we all get the same experience. STOP this stupid war... I looove the htc One... but granted that if htc never came out with the One we would all be getting the s4 since is the best device aside from the One. So stop the crap and just be happy that htc up their game and now we have two different devices to pick from.
First a US$100.00 "discount" and now this "declaration"... Talk about desperation, LOL! Poor HTC...
Is there anyone here that is saving up their money for a PS4 or XBOX 720 instead? :D
Um. "Familiar design?" You mean making your phone look almost eaxctly like an Iphone isn't using a familiar design? Samsung already did that once and it cost them dearly and made them money at the same time. We will see if that thinking can pull HTC from the deep hole they are in. Also, Flipboard. Another familiar design from someone else. I've never really been interested in HTC. Partly because of my Aunt's experince with the Thunderbolt, but more so because they just aren't that appealing to me. Eh. I wish them the best of luck with their Android-based Iphone. Lol.
That will send HTC directly to bankruptcy...
Guys, lets not fight here. We're all part of the Android community. As long as Android thrives, all our phones will. Put away your petty differences, you'd be a lucky person to own either one of these fine phones. Theres a bigger monster in the room.
Exactly. Thank you. Reading these little flamewars was depressing.
Samsung is perhaps the only player in the Smartphone space that is really innovating today. Well, maybe Blackberry, but they're mostly playing catch up. htc? Sorry, aluminum cases have been done. Apple? Please! Changing from a glass back to a metal back is not innovation, nor are a few minor tweaks to Siri and (finally!) getting 4G data. Even Google is sort of just tweaking Android around the edges (but maybe 5.0 will be significant).
Samsung, however, is truly showing us new technology on the software side that no one else offers at all, or that no one else is integrating into the package.
As far as the htc 1 vs. the GS4:
I've owned phones from both companies, and liked phones from both companies. But it strikes me the htc is pretty much the same thing as the 1x in a fancy new package. The GS4 is basically the same package with a ton of new, innovative technology.
If your phone is a fashion accessory, by all means choose from the many high-style devices from companies like HTC and Sony. If your phone is a way to get things done, or entertain yourself and others, then Samsung seems to be pushing the envelope further and faster than anyone else.
LOL. I'm still amazed at how emotionally involved people get in a chuck of aluminum, glass and/or plastic which is, at its heart, just a tool to get things done. It's not religion, or life and death, people. Get a real life!
I'm what you could call a goosheep :-).
I'll save my tax money and see what the next nexus device has to offer.
Fanboys, a group of people that band together so they don't get buyers remorse.
This.
I'll just stick with my unlocked Nexus 4. Might not have all the gimmicks but I get my updates first. I paid just as much as you did and I haven't enslaved myself to some asinine 2 year $2400+ contract.
Removable battery...meh, this phone lasts all day for me
Removable storage...why? 16gb is more than enough for me. If I want movies and games I have a Nexus 7 for that. Seriously, How often do you watch those movies and TV shows in your archive anyway? As for music...Google Music anyone?
Camera...ok you got me there.
Android updates first?...Awesome?
Not being tied to a contract and paying only $350 for a top end phone?...IN. YOUR. FACE!
The comments here remind me of when the iPhone came out and I was at the blackberry camp. It was a lot of arguing over personal opinions and name calling. If you do not like a feature, then don't buy it. Be glad we have android and these choices available to us instead of the constant griping and whining. I just don't understand how some of the users on this site became so vindictive. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth and makes me reluctant to come here at times.
Trash talk is trash. I'll buy the S4 just for this HTC. In yo face
Have you watched a Samsung commercial in the past year and a half? That's the only way they advertise. :/ you confuse me.
HTC! Spend money on media coverage and make it a level playing field.
Whatever you choice to do making statements about the market leader won't improve your standing. Sell your phone to costumers its a better product.
My current phone is an HTC. So was my last phone. I got my current HTC because it has these features :
- LTE
- microSD slot that supports 64 gig cards
- swappable battery
- SVDO (simultaneous voice and 3G data)
- World capable
My next phone will also have all these same capabilities. Too bad HTC seems to no longer be good enough at design to make a phone that is as good as their older phones in every way, plus being better in some ways.
HTC is starting to throw some punches and I like that. Way to step up to the best selling Android maker. Here's the problem though HTC from the sales last year alone its clear that most average everyday consumers don't care about a "premium" feel to there phone as most place a case of their choice on it. Your phones last year felt and were built better than Samsung's yet they trounced you in sales. Yes part of that was marketing but a lot of it was due to the fact that Samsung just has better software features. Some will call it gimmicky others will love it, to each its own is what I say. I love the look of the one, but I dislike that I can't remove blinkfeed from my home screen as I use all of mine. Zoe seems to be cool and that interest me but I just like the features of the GS4 better the camera options the dual picture the finger hovering over a email ect... And again I place a case on my phone so all I will be feeling is a rubber or hard plastic case.
SD cards and removable batteries are not a factor in my decision although a lot of people make a big deal out of it and I am sure they have reasons to do so. Android in general is great because there are so many choices yet here we are on the same side fighting and bickering over which one is better. The enemy is the iPhone lets not forget that.
Well said! Isn't HTC Droid DNA an excellent smartphone? Is it a success? HTC One is an improvement of Droid DNA, isn't it? Is it going to be a success? Maybe it'll sell more than Droid, but I think it'll be far from being a very succesful smartphone. The problem is HTC and not their product. It's the way they face the competition. They are... too shy.
Typical HTC. They are always on the defensive which is why they are the caboose of Android. They have a chance to focus on their features, camera, speakers, screen clarity, Sense 5, Flipboard 2.0 but all they can do is talk about Aluminum. I'm sorry, but i've seen the durability of aluminum cans and it isn't that much more impressive than polycarbonate. The HTC One looks like it is an amazing phone, and very well could be better than the S4. But HTC wont know how to market it so people know if it's better. HTC is sounding like Apple with all of their bragging about the "device build quality" and never anything else.
Samsung gives you a product that you definitely will be satisfied with.
I think I prefer the One. Quality of construction and materials is important to me on a device that expensive that will be heavily used for two years. Plastic is OK if done right with a soft touch finish and a metal chassis to prevent flex stress on the glass, but Samsung doesn't do this. Glass backs are just stupid.
My old EVO3D may not be the prettiest phone out there, but its combination of aluminum chassis and soft touch plastic has proven to be durable and practical.
Actually the Galaxy S3 and 4 have a metal chassis..
Personally im more concerned about HTCs poor reliability and customer service. Id rather have a cheaper feeling phone that works than a so called premium one that doesnt..
I typically purchase what manufacturers do best. I let Audi make my sedans, Porsche my sports car, Samsung my TV's and HTC makes my smartphones. This year it's the ONE,no Brains needed. Now when 2013 4th Q rolls around, things may change.
Holy f*cking dog sh!t!!! Talk about gnashing teeth between the 2 camps. I almost feel like a gang f*cking war is going to break out between the HTC fanatics and the Samsung folks. I'm waiting for the knife fights to start...
I have the S3 and am happy with it. This is the first time in a couple of years where I am not longing to get a new phone. I'm enjoying sitting on the sidelines and watching the fun...and waiting to learn about the Google/Motorola X phone!
Both the One and GS4 fail. No switch blades included with the phones...
Geesh, I can't wait until Sony releases the Xperia Z and Motorola releases the X-Phone to get people even more arrogant and rude, supporting the manufacturer they like and dissing the others.
At the end of the day, you'll get the handset you like or can afford, enjoy it and respect the others' choices.
4 Words HTC: Micro SD Card Slot.
I like that more of the same. You should get some of that same. I'm probably going back to Samsung because of that same.
Thanks for telling me what I knew about the s4 before anything about the s4 was revealed. Thanks HTC, you really put in work here
when you release a phone with a bigger battery, a bigger and better screen, removable battery, micro sd card slot in a thinner, more light and with the same dimensions as the predecessor, for me that's really design engineering.
it is a fully no compromise phone, with the GS4 you have absoluteness all the features you can have, and that's excellent overall design.
the GS4 will be my next phone for sure.
Samsung BLOAT that can NOT be uninstalled nor removed. Samsung seems to be slyly getting themselves independent of the Google ecosystem. And the Fanboys are falling for it hook, line, and sinker. Saps! Muhahaha!
My S3 is a decent device but I couldn't get TW off of it fast enough for numerous reasons. Its ugly, the apps don't have a cohesive design and just aren't all that great. Lock screen is balls. Most of the features Samsung puts out are just gimmicky and half baked ( S voice anyone?) but some are handy (Smart Stay). They certainly aren't game changers though. Geez we sound like Apple users at times...
HTC One, button layout aside, has a number of significant steps forward. The new Camera tech is the real deal. Low light photos are what we use our phones for (friends at dinner, kids inside/out, basketball games, concerts etc etc). This has been significantly improved by new Tech. Hell they even put in optical stabilization. These are no gimmicks and something that literally every user will find big value in every week. Samsung ignored this and just put some gimmicky stuff in there that might be cute once in a while.
AMOLED screens look decent at times but outside you can hardly see the screen on my S3. Its trash. You put it up next to the EVO and it dies. Sure you blacks are better on AMOLED but every other color in the spectrum looks VASTLY better on the LCD 3. Fact.
I like the S4 and I'm sure it will vastly outsell HTC One but lets get real...HTC nailed it this year in all departments. Samsung innovated in a few software features. HTC innovated everywhere. (Nova launcher means no blink feed. Everyone should be using Nova prime anyways if you know what you are doing).
BTW, HTC has dropped the ball on updates last year but previously used to be much faster than Samsung. You never know how this year will be.
No its NOT fact that every other colour looks better, its fact that every other colour is more accurate. Looks better is opinion, not fact.
The HTC one is nice but so is the ecosystem that Samsung is putting together including the TV 1 TB drive thing.
Just love the competition across the Android platform. Its is really good for the consumer.
I agree 100% - Same stuff different day..
Im leaning more toward the HTC One and waiting for the Nexus 5. Now if the Nexus 5 has LTE and/or a microsd slot 32gb/64gb internal memory then I will get that. I have always hated the design of the S3 I cant stand that button and the S4 is no different. Yes the S4 13mp camera is nice but thats not a selling factor for me, I dont like all the samsung bloatware that will come with the phone. Also if I buy this phone the amount of AT&T bloatware that would be on it, I will have to root right away to remove all of it. Yes so what that you cant expand the memory or remove battery but if the phone has 32gb or 64gb internal im not worried thats plenty of space for me. Im still on my S2 (they should have keep this design) but I rooted and custom Rom very happy with this phone.
adding to my post Samsung just did what Apple does to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s
And from what I have been reading they are going to do it again, from the 5 to 5s.
Wow what a bunch of hypocrites on here. I do remember a certain Samsung exec running down the HTC One and the company prior to the device being officially announced. He stated it would fail and HTC would have no better results compared to last year. Yet he wasn't condemned for his words. Seems to me that the arrogance of Samsung's higher ups is reflected in the fanatics.
Yeah but that was true. The One is better than the One X was, but it still wont sell, because HTC still don't understand why people didnt buy their 2011/12 phones.
This phone is better. Nuh nuh, this one is. No, this one is. Nope, you're wrong, it's this one. You are an idiot. Everybody knows that plastic is junk. Oh yeah, well that sense makes no sense at all. Your momma. Repeat
@Nothingistrue: Samsung brought their A game, feature-wise?
Are you high? How did you even type that with a straight face?
A bunch of touchless/ hover "features" that 99% of users will use exactly never, and a PEDOMETER? Really? A freaking pedometer. How groundbreaking.
Gotta run out and get a phone with a pedometer on it, first thing.
I was willing to give the GS4 a chance (I'm a Note 2 user right now), but the fac that Samsung brought the plastic AGAIN when this is such an important device for them just mystifies me.
The One is definitely the better device of the two, sorry to burst your bubble.
I actually appreciate the pedometer feature. It's nice for times when Runkeeper wonks out due to lousy GPS signal.
Another failure of samsung phones. GPS has been an issue for a long time and still seems to be an issue.
My Galaxy Nexus begs to differ lol
The hover feature is so-so, but the tech that make hover work also allows a person to use the phone with a glove. That is a huge win for some areas of the world.
Just have to question the Sense is bad and Touchwiz is good crap. The new Sense is beautiful and minimal. Touchwiz looks like a version of Disney cartoon trying to resemble iPhone. What is so nice about touchwiz? It is ugly and has a ton of "gimmicky" features.Samsung adds a long list of crap and the Sansheep follow.More is not always better.
Sense has always had a nice cohesive design to the launcher and all the apps etc. The problem with it has ALWAYS been how terrible slow it was compared to an AOSP phone. Eventually TW got faster and Sense didn't. However, now Sense is just as fast.
Actually Sense 5 is twice as fast as the new touchwiz. The benchmarks with the same processor aren't even close.
Again it was a pre-release phone. Your bias is obvious..
I see no bias in his comment. I don't see source links either but I remember reading something last night that mentioned it.
Yes they are BOTH pre-release phones. So in a way we're comparing apples to apples here even though they're unripe.
For the record I don't know what I plan on getting.
I will take an HTC with a working GPS over Samsung Galaxy that cannot lock GPS any time. Tons of people have problems with GPS on Sammy's phones if you read the forums.
No idea why, mine is perfectly on target and fast locking, every single time.
I really feel that HTC wins the Hardware specs this time around while Sammy, like last year, wins the software round.
Sure Sammy has a larger battery and the expansion slot but HTC has the body, the microphones, the speakers, the display, the camera, possibly the processor (I haven't seen final specs on that yet). . .
Flip the argument over to the software and Sammy has a lot of features created by their software department that makes you do a double take. Of course, the question also has to be asked how many of those software features will truly be useful very often.
Of course HTC is gonna claim their phone is way better, but honestly if you're just gonna use the same bullshit that every other idiot out there is using against Samsung phones then you just make me laugh. The only people that bash it are the ones that are too ignorant to know how good it is.
S4 for me so far, gotta do better than this HTC and silly little Samsung haters. ;)
Would you freaks stop arguing between these two damn phones. Get a f**king life.
I actually have to side with you on this. This is getting out of control. It's almost worse than the US bashing over on Crackberry after the initial Z10 launch.
What is this issue with plastics? That's pretty much a standard for electronics. TVs are plastic, laptops are plastic, receivers, gaming consoles, tablets, printers, headphones, and so on, are all plastic. It makes even more sense for a phone since it get banged up all the time. I hate cases and don't use them so I'm glad to know that I can purchase a new battery cover for my phone for $5 and never have to worry about it scratching or breaking. Carbon fiber, now that would be nice but very very expensive.
Bro, first off Carbon Fiber is brittle. Second off, I have both the S3 and the HTCEVOLTE. The S3 plastic is literally cheap and FAR from durable, though light. Also, it is bar-none the slipperiest phone ever made. That plastic shows SO many finger prints that the phone looks kind weak in the light. I def notice it. Also, that plastic is cracked and chipped from even the smallest slips. Discoloration etc etc. Its not pretty. Lets not even mention how AWFUL the Gorilla Glass 2 is on the S3 but who knows maybe that is better now with version 3.
Now the HTC EVO, my wife has one as well. My kid plays with it all the time. It is a beast and has held up incredibly well. The reason we don't like plastic is the reason we don't like cheap plastic in a Ford Focus interior...its cheap and bendy and not durable (look at drop tests) and you know it the instant you touch the device.
Dropped my S3 loads, only minor marks, no discolouration, nothing. What do people do with their phone I wonder? Just because it vibrates it doesnt mean you need to stick it up your a...
Agreed. Android fans all made fun of Apple for YEARS because they always bragged about their aluminum build quality. Now, HTC fans have joined the dark side and live in a fantasy world where Aluminum is as strong and indestructible as titanium and cast iron. Like everything around them isn't perfectly fine durable plastic. The next time I go a day without using plastic, I will buy the HTC One on the spot and never look back.
Way to go Samsung! True to how you follow Apple...you have created Samsheep!
While HTC is the one in bed with Apple....
LOL, says the Samsheep who follows the biggest iPhone copier in the world. How much money has Samsung paid to Apple again? Guess they related not just in bed.
Actually I'm currently running my 4th and final HTC device. And yes, HTC has left me with a very bitter taste in my mouth. So, call me what you will but I have been burned enough my HTC that I would rather be called a "Samsheep" than buy another HTC POS. Sounds like someone, however, is a little sheepish on HTC, huh?
Let me educate you, Apple has been paying samsung money for years an they continue to do so. Every phone Apple make has a Samsung made chip in it. So who is paying who? Don't believe me, then look it up.
I see you've never compared the front of your HTC One to the back of the iPhone 5.
Welcome to Android Central! Troll much?
As a very wise patron of Phandroid said last night concerning this same subject...."HTC is One Blinkfeed away from chapter 11". Pun intended.
+1
While the One "looks" better than the GS4, I will always put my phone in a case, so the "premium look" is moot. Samsung is the only OEM constantly updating to the current version of Android. Personally, for me, removable battery & sd card slot ARE a deciding factor.
+1000
There's more to life than aluminum. Samsung has innovative software. Not home screens that look like chameleon launcher
Too bad they didn't release any of that innovative software this go round. Instead they release a bunch of gimmicky apps that noone will use longer than a week.
Just saying, a application is software.
Also something I can download from the market if i really want it, but dont want it bloating up my phone and making it lag like crazy. As can been seen and has been said in reviews, touchwiz bloat(software) is slowing it up BIG TIME.
Its pre-release you numbskull. If Blinkfeed is bloat then i dont know what is, its junkware.
In other words HTC are shaking in their boots. Either that or they are a crap company with no confidence in their own products! If you believe you have great products, you push the strong points of your products - not rubbish someone else's.
Who cares if a phone is plastic. Does it fall apart in your hands? No!!
"More of the same"? A slimmer, faster phone with a vastly improved screen, improved battery life (yet to be proven), more RAM (if the international models get 2GB) and a much better camera. Add to that loads of new software enhancements... get real HTC. I was going to look at the HTC to compare with SGS4, now I won't even bother, on principal. I hate companies who rubbish other companies.
So on principal you will not get SG4 cause they "rubbish" other companies more than most. SG4 has copied Apple and HTC. You Samsheep are funny.
So then you also hate Samsung for 'rubbishing' Apple?
No lies detected.
Bad form, HTC. Let your devices do the talking -- or is that what you're afraid of?
Lol how pathetic. ermagerd aluminium unibody! must buy!
Remember also that HTC is the pet dog of Apple now.
Having an HTC is like when you open a kinder surprise and find a statue.
As I said once before, the manufacturers of this industry bear great resemblance to the characters from The Mummy.
Soooooo desperate.
Like plastic GS3 selling millions wasn't an indicator enough, that body material isn't a deciding factor.
I played around with both the previous generation HTC and "The Vendor who shall not be named..." phones, and it seemed a no brainer that the HTC felt better.
I can't wait to get my hands on the HTC One.
HTC has GOT to get on board with marketing their products. That is the MAJOR fail they are committing. HTC, if you have people read websites, you have to get your NAME out there and that means Television Advertising. If you don't, it's going to be another year of "TVWHNBN", selling more because people SEE them more so they believe they are better.
Lol, "mouth-watering" design
"More of the same" is a bad thing for HTC considering Samsung trounced them last year in sales.
Kinda what I was thinking while I was reading the sour grapes comments.
Personally, I don't need my phone to feel "premium." It's a consumer electronics device like my TV and my toaster oven. I just want it to have the set of features I prefer most.
-Suntan
@HTC- If it ain't broke, why fix it? Personally, I think Samsung's lawsuit against Apple has helped them tremendously.
Yeah ... they're right. Externally, very little changed because Sammy saw success. I wish they would have changed it, but in their mind it isn't broken. Their sales number justify that thought pattern to an extent, and they clearly don't read my comments in Android Central forums. I also think TouchWiz could use an aesthetic update.
But on the feature side, Sammy brought their A Game again and HTC doesn't have anything to compete with a lot of it.
You hit the nail on the head. They're conservative with changes because it's been working for them. Kind of like Apple in that regard, relying almost entirely on gimmicky (though arguably useful) software additions and keeping the physical look the same.
I think the next iterations of all their devices should have a new look, they need a serious refresh before people get too sick of it.
I am all for HTC continuing to release solidly built devices as they always feel like a quality device. But the fact that the S4 will ship with 4.2.2 soon after the One releases with 4.2.1 leaves me scratching my head.
Each phone will have their target audience, and HTC knows that Samsungs is larger.
I wish them both the best of luck with their launches.
the difference from 4.1 to 4.2 is so minute its not even funny. I bet HTC updates the software right after release. They did the same thing with the Evo 4G LTE. Not a big deal at all.
Doesn't the One launch with 4.1.2?
If so, then their even further behind Samsung... Again.
You are correct sir, my bad.
And I will agree with the user that initially replied to my comment, that in the end is a minor upgrade.
But an upgrade that users should not have to wait to get when the device launches. Unless it is available very soon after initial launch, then it really is a moot point.
Kevin.. what's the difference between 4.2.1 and 4.2.2?
NEGLIGABLE. Big woop!
Except for the fact that the S4 will be running Key Lime Pie months before the first One ever sees 4.2.2. hell, with HTC's track record, 4.2.2 might be the last update that the One will see!!!
Another stupid and lame comment that is the furthest thing from the truth.
Really.. The S3 has 4.2.2 beta builts and HTC cant launch a new device with with eve nthe previous version. Fail, and a sign of the future.
Locked bootloaders
4mp camera
most crippled version of android jelly bean
non-removable battery
no expandable storage
more bezel less screen
no thank you HTC i will take the S4
Please stop with the lame removable battery, expandable storage excuses. There are what you call battery packs which can be used for more than one device, and there is also what you call cloud storage that store your files and can be accessed from multiple devices. The HTCone is better looking and sense5 has gotten a lot better. Btw touchwiz is probably the worst skin of them all.
The Gingerbread looking launcher in Sense is what turned me off from HTC again but hey aleast we get choices we could just be stuck with the new S version or the old non S version.
most people don't want "cloud storage". What good is it in low signal / no service areas (especially if you travel and use airplanes quite a bit).
That and all of the providers doing away with unlimited plans.
Actually sprint isn't and didn't T-mobile just start with unlimited?
+1000
So let me see if I have this straight. Your argument is that your aluminum phone that you promptly go ahead a cover up in a plastic or rubberized shell is better looking than my plastic phone that I also go ahead and promptly cover up in a plastic or rubberized shell. Alrighty then.
No.. Only the GS4 deserves to be covered.
+1,000,000
Who cares that the HTC One has a aluminum shell, the first thing Im gonna do is put an otter box commuter case on it.
BKVic
You would rather carry around an external battery pack than just an extra battery? LMAO! How retarded!
Blinkfeed screen that can'tbe rremoved? How retarded!
Paying your carrier to repeatedly stream you music that you already own? How retarded!
Having to send your phone off to be remanufactured every year or so because the battery has lost a significant portion of its capacity? How retarded!
BTW, TouchWiz is a lot easier to replace than your HTC battery.
You should really lose the "R" word from your vocabulary.
S3 owner and I own and will carry around an external battery pack when and if necessary. Doesn't hamper my use of the S3 and it fits ANY device that uses a USB charging cable. If I change phones, I still have that extra juice when I need it. I also prefer removable batteries, but my primary "away from a charger" goto is that external battery pack. And it even recharges my Bluetooth headphones if needed.
it's been discussed Blinkfeed can be removed by simply removing all the feeds in the list. The it disappears completely. Couldnt be easier
The removable battery is a legitimate gripe. And frankly, I'm tired of people who can't see past their nose telling people to stop botching about it.
What you say is true. You Can get an external battery pack. You Can carry a charging cable and charge it anywhere. No one is saying otherwise. However these are on the tail end of practice solutions. Let's say I'm at disneyland with my family and I have a Crappy phone that does not have a removable battery. After a partial day of taking pictures, sending them to family and social networks, making a few calls to coordinate with family at different areas of the parks etc, my battery dies. Now my option, if I want to continue using the phone is to charge it using one of the two methods you've listed as reasons the removable battery is obsolete. My phone in such a case is not immediately usable with this method. However if I had a second battery it's just a matter of swapping them out, and boom, just like that, within a minute or two I just doubled my battery life.
The other reason this argument is bs, is that batteries degrade over time. With your solution, the rate of being attached to a wall or an external battery, increases as the battery degrades. With the removable battery solution I just buy a new battery.
Again, the removable battery gripe is one of the most important reasons Not to get a phone.
Why do you have to wait to charge it after it dies? You could start charging once you notice you might not make it through the day.
It's only the Sammy fanboys that find charging a phone in a car or overnight a hardship. I mean what kind of facial reject carries around batteries to the clubs, sporting events, etc. You could argue that one might consider the extra battery if on vacation or camping.. Well I guess it's too complex to fathom a juice pack or battery add on cases. Enjoy your ugly as sin phone that quite frankly just doesn't deliver in an overall comparison to something LIKE THE ONE. seethe.
You obviously cannot comprehend simple concepts which were clearly laid out in my post. You are blinded by your biased and therefore do not matter in anyway shape or form. Please microwave your head.
The One can't even replace my 64gig iPod. How lame is that?!?
don't you mean "more than One device"?
It's not an excuse. You have to remember that you do not speak for everyone. I have an s3 with extra battery and a small battery is way easier to carry with me than my battery pack with a usb cable. Most cases I just swap battery and dont even need to carry the battery with me. And being stuck to that pack til you have enough juice sucks. As far as micro sd is concern, I download movies to my phone so having it on an SD card makes it easier to move the card to my tablet or PC and watch the movie there. I don't want to have to download the movie to another device just so I can watch it on that device. Then wait another 20 minutes for the download. I can swap sdcard in 30 seconds. Plus downloading them again to other devices is waste of space.
I'm for having the microSD card, however there are plenty of options other than removing it anytime you want to access movies on it.
Can't you plug the phone into the TV, or use it as an external drive, or use it as a DLNA media server?
@ Satya.
Count on me too for the same reason!
Locked bootloaders - Bootloaders are easily unlockable
4mp camera - deemed the best camera on a smartphone by just about all reviews
most crippled version of android jelly bean - ummm this is just stupid
non-removable battery - works for iphone. Reviews gave battery 8/10
no expandable storage - 32GB or 64GB of storage. Ummm your point is moot
more bezel less screen - more plastic, cheap feel as well
no thank you HTC i will take the S4 - have fun with what CNET called the "Gap clothing of smartphones" LMAO....
You had me until you quoted CNET. That voided your whole argument. :(
As much as I love the whole unibody aluminum build, it's not a deal beaker for me and millions of other GS3 owners. Once you put a case on either, no one can tell whether it's plastic or aluminum, nor do they care.
Lol the most crippled version of Android Jelly Bean? Did you see all the glorious lag on the Galaxy S4?? Touchwiz is turning into a bloated POS with all those useless gimmicks they keep adding to the phone.
This is a BS comment. We all know the camera on the One is better than the Camera on the S4. Just stop with the fanboi non-sense. Both are nice phones.
From gizmodo - Overall Impressions
There has been a ton of hype and build-up to this device, and ultimately, it left us feeling cold. The S IV feels uninspired. There are small spec bumps from the previous generation and there's a ton of software which will largely sit unused. There's just no wow-factor here.
I had the HTC One with me during my hands on time, and the difference is like night and day. For starters, the One is noticeably faster in every context. When flicking between screens, opening apps, and taking photos there was clear lag on the Galaxy S IV, whereas everything was almost instantaneous on the One. To be fair, this wasn't the final production version of the S IV, and who knows which processor was in the model I had. There's a chance it'll be faster at launch.
But even purely from a design perspective, the One absolutely crushes the S IV. When you pick up the One, you feel like you're holding something amazing, both in the build and the screen. When you pick up the S IV, you feel like you're holding an S III with a few extra bells and whistles
Submitted by swazedahustla on March 15, 2013 - 10:04.
If Gizmodo isn't smart enough to realize that the pre-production models will lag and not be an accurate representation of the final released product, I will ignore the rest of their crap.
make excuses much?
You've had both in hand and tested the cameras?
Yes what a wonderful shooter Sammy has here
http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s-4-vs-htc-one-qu...
Brighter, sharper screen
Active stabilization in the faster camera with HDR
Large, loud, front facing speakers
Stronger build, milled from billet Aluminum
Active noise reduction
Dual recording microphones for more dynamic range
This is the first phone for HTC that is the same across carriers, it should get updates much faster than older phones. Further,it was not until the launch of the Galaxy series that Samsung got better of updates. They were considered the WORST company for updates as little as two years ago.
New lithium polymer tech is supposed to reduce battery degradation.
The newest versions of Android take less advantage of removable storage than older ones.
More specifically Samsung was the worst at updates until the GS3. It's nice that they updated older phones last year as well. Really nice, in fact. But that didn't start until AFTER the GS3 took off like a bottle rocket. And Android doesn't even support apps 2 SD anymore so all you get with your microSD card is storage for your files. But if you have a lot of stuff to store and 64GB isn't enough then obviously you can't go with a fixed-storage device.
HTC One already has been bootloader unlocked, rooted, and ROM'd
I can't wait for what richardyarrell has to say. LOL already.
LOOOOOOL! I literally just spat my coffee all over my desk hahaha
State the obvious why don't you...
Without doubt. Absolutely true.
HTC: Galaxy S4 is 'more of the same,' 'pales in comparison' to HTC One
qft
yeah.. so is the one... its a one x and 8x all mashed up.. funny how a company that cant even launch a phone with the latest software and has yet to update devices to jellybean that was promised in OCT saying "more of the same"
Should be said about their crap... More of the same (OS, cause u aint getting an update until that update is out of date)
Seriously though, this has made me lose ALL respect for HTC, i guess if you ONLY have hardware design to stand on you gotta do what you gotta do, but i will be making sure no one i know gets an HTC after this crap.
Sense sucks, so bad they can't even get it updated to other phones, if you're lucky you might get one update in a year.
HTC stock dropped down because the vp of R&D and developed Sense, quit HTC, so don't be expecting too much in updates for a while.
If this phone had come out with pure android and all the extra software was just released as apps, it would sell big time. After all the crap almost every HTC phone goes through with updates and sence it is just not worth it, fool me once.
That's right, S4 is more of the same: more battery, more storage, more screen, more buttons, more CPU power, more Android updates, more features, and, oh yes, more sales.
+10
Whoah. For a moment there I thought you were talking about my car. Its got a huge battery, lots of storage, huge screens / windows, tons of buttons, lots more power than the S3, but I'm afraid if it ran 4.2.2 it would FC itself around a phone pole.
Throwing out bigger specs does not make a great phone anymore than making SUVs bigger and bigger made them any better.
In the tech world , more is better. You can't compare it to cars .
If you trim down a Porsche Cayenne and made it a Porsche 911 Turbo , that would be a major plus.
If you you don't make a phone faster , more storage , better screen, more ram, then whats the point ?
Right. But bigger specs in the same size package does!
Not like SUVs. More like when the Corvette went from 350 HP to 405 to 505. Definitely better.
Hopefully more efficient. The Corvette needed 7 liters it get to that 505. 72HP/L is not very efficient at all by today's standards.
Uh-oh....using HP/L again. This was what those honda fanboys talked about in the 90s, while they were getting smoked by "old" tech Mustangs, Vettes, and Camaros.
maybe not, but almost 640hp out of a 6.2l LS9 isn't too shabby at over 100/L but then again, no one buys a vette because of their efficiently. if you want efficient, you should probably buy a volt instead...
But this is another case, i loved my s2 i love my s3 and im pretty sure i would love the s4, samsung makes great phones, i had an iphone 5 for a month and i missed so much my samsung that i imediatly sold my iphone and bought an s3 and im happy again, and i prefer a removable battery and a sd memory expansion than a aluminum unibody, that alone makes it a better phone than the HTC one, everything else is a plus.
You can put all kinds of meat, vegi and nutritious ingredients into a bowl and have a better speced meal technically. But only dogs will eat that bowl. Human demands food to be cooked right and placed right on an descent plate to be called a meal especially when they have to pay for it. It's not about everything's in the bowl, it's the taste comes first when you open a restaurant. For as long as I still have my taste, I'm not interested in your bowl. But I'm glad you're happy to have a go at it. To each his own after all.
I tried reading through your analogy it was just got worse and worse...
Agreed.. wth is he on about?
Let me see if I can explain what he means to you. In short he's saying that he doesn't mind eating shit as long as it's arranged nicely, smells good and tastes good. Sort of like what the maids did to their employer in the movie The Help.
Reaching much?
If I may borrow from that AT&T commercial, "Wait... What?
You can have more more more of everythig, but when you perform worse than the competition then all the MORE means nothing. Looking at all the benchmarks the HTC One not only beats the S4, it crushes it. That goes to show that Sense 5 has lost alot of weight, and touchwiz has bloated to a lagful mess. But enjoy your slow more more more.
Well said!
Benchmarks are meaningless. Usage is what counts, the One is full of pointless junk. It even worse than the One X.
I'm guessing someone hasn't used Touchwiz before. LOL.
Haven't used TouchWiz ever, have you? lol.
Good point thats why the side by side comparison is the most important tool and it has been done and showed that the S4 is indeed noticeably sluggish/lagging when doing the same things yes side by side with the HTC one... By the way I have neither brand.
Be easy on them Sammy fanboys .. The meltdowns are at all time high here and elsewhere on all the tech sites.
+30 swazedahustla
The exact point I have been making. HTC added more hardware based features vs Samsung adding a bunch of apps. Sure Blinkfeed is sort of an app but for someone like me with my own graphic design business I could use Blinkfeed to keep up with my budding social life. I seen a lot of useless apps on the S4. The hover trick is basically a gesture which is an app. I can flash a mod to my N4 that gives me a wave to lock function. Cool trick.
YOU MY FRIEND, ARE A WORD GENIUS!!!
Talk to em
+1000000!!