HTC

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."

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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.

More: Galaxy S4 forum, HTC One forum