In our review today - the smartphone HTC 8S. According to some Russian marketers, the brand-manufacturer of the device expects to win the sympathy of customers in the middle price segment. The main arguments: the balance of the characteristics of the device, as well as the traditionally high quality for the brand.
In addition, Microsoft, which released the OS under which this phone is controlled (Windows Phone 8th version), is trying very hard to prove its worth in the competition with Android and iOS platforms. According to some experts, the HTC 8S is a smartphone designed to combine two marketing principles: a recognizable prestigious brand and an affordable price. To what extent does the device correspond to this thesis?
What's in the box
The delivery kit of the gadget in retail is fairly standard. The box contains the smartphone itself (equipped with a non-removable battery with a capacity of 1.7 thousand mAh), a charger, a cable for connecting the device to a PC via USB, as well as a stereo headset (regular, wired).
Appearance
The body of the product is made of pleasant to the touch polycarbonate, its shape is very strict, the corners are sharp. The gadget fits perfectly in the user's hand. The smartphone comes to the Russian market in four possible colors: black and white, gray (with elements of yellow), blue, and red.
Experts who tested the device praise it for its successful design (noting at the same time the fact that this characteristic applies to most other devices from HTC). Experts note that the housing materials are well resistant to external pollution. The build quality of the device is rated as high. There are no backlashes.
The dimensions of the HTC 8S are neither large nor small. The length of the device is 120.5 mm, width - 63, thickness - 10.3. This, by the way, is very similar to the similar parameters of the prestigious iPhone 5 (123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm). Many experts note that both devices combine reasonableness and elegance in the proportions of various elements of the case.
Control
Just like on many other smartphones controlled by Windows Phone, the device is configured with a control mechanism in accordance with Microsoft standards. They can deviate from them in the most exceptional cases. The main controls for the device are the screen and the three touch buttons below it. There are additional tools. These include a block of keys located under the display (with white backlight), which can be activated in low light conditions.
The "Back" button is on the left side of the case (and if you hold it, a list of running applications will appear on the screen). In the center - the proprietary Microsoft Windows “flag” (performs the function of returning to the main menu, as well as calling the voice control system - for long-term holding). On the right is the search engine launch button.
Experts note a high level of comfort using touch buttons. You can confidently work with your smartphone without fear of missing and not getting on the right key. High brightness under the touch buttons is noted.
At the top end of the phone is the display mute key. Conveniently, it is difficult to press it accidentally, since it is located on the same level with the body. If you hold this button, a window will appear with which you can turn off the power to the device. An audio jack is located next to the key. At the bottom end of the phone is a micro-USB slot, as well as a microphone.
On the right side of the case is a button that controls the volume level. Just below it is the power button on the smartphone’s camera (with a short but steady press), its focus (with a light, barely noticeable touch) or the shutter release (long, sure press).
In the front of the case, on top, is the voice speaker. It is covered with a neat net. Next to it is a light sensor, a motion (proximity) sensor, as well as an indicator that changes color during various user actions. For example, if a smartphone connects to a PC or to a charger, it will blink red.
Now we are waiting for the next paragraph of the review of the HTC 8S - specifications.
Display
The smartphone is equipped with a technological display such as S-LCD. The diagonal is 4 inches, the resolution is 800 by 480 pixels. The phone screen can display, as is the case with many similar devices, 16 million colors. The display is covered with a durable protective glass Gorilla Glass in 2 versions.
Experts note a moderate, but sufficient brightness of the screen of the HTC 8S. The response to touching the surface of the display with your fingers is rated excellent. Color reproduction is characterized by experts as very calm, pleasing to the eye. There are opinions that the picture quality is slightly inferior to the screens made by HD standards. But there are counterarguments: experts voicing them say that for the price category in which the smartphone is sold, the S-LCD display is already great.
Camera
The phone is equipped with a camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels. There is a standard flash (which, if necessary, can be used as a flashlight - however, for this you will have to download a special application). The quality of the pictures shown by the camera installed on the HTC 8S phone is estimated by experts as high. Movies can be recorded with a resolution of 720 pixels. There is an autofocus function.
Battery
Phone HTC 8S is equipped with a battery capacity of 1.7 thousand mAh. He is not removable. This, according to some experts, could be a significant drawback. Batteries are known to have an “expiration date”. Over time, any battery fails. At the same time, other experts believe that this "shelf life" is more than sufficient in terms of the likelihood of replacing the device with a new one - 3-4 years. Therefore, this feature, they believe, can not be considered a minus.
Experts who tested the device note that with an average intensity of use of the phone, autonomous operation until the battery is completely discharged can last about two days. In music listening mode, the device can withstand about 4 hours, while talking - about 60 minutes. There is a module for automatic brightness control of the screen, designed to save battery power. Experts note that for a phone sold in the middle price segment, even these rather modest figures can be considered good.
Performance
The smartphone has a processor running at 1 GHz with two cores, 522 MB of RAM, as well as 4 GB of internal flash memory. It is possible to connect additional micro-SD format modules. It may seem that the above characteristics of the HTC Phone 8S are very modest. Still, today's standard standards (even in the budget segment) are four cores and at least 1 GB of RAM. But experts who tested the device, note the highest speed of the gadget.
According to some experts, the phone’s performance may be related to the features of the Windows software platform, which makes it possible to manage equipment more efficiently than, say, Android does. A lot of users who have left feedback on the HTC 8S phone on the Internet confirm expert theses about the unusual speed of the smartphone with relatively modest technical specifications.
Communication
The smartphone supports the basic communication standards used today - GSM, UMTS, 3G. There is a Bluetooth module version 3.1 (with EDR function) in the device. WiFi is supported. Experts who decided to write a review about HTC 8S note that the wireless module works without significant glitches and freezes. You can also activate the function of a WiFi router in your smartphone and "distribute" the Internet to other devices.
Cartography
The smartphone uses the standard GPS navigation program for many HTC devices. Using it, you can download maps so that you can use them offline when there is no internet. Interestingly, formally this function is not free. But the corresponding expenses of the smartphone owner are already included in the price of the device. Therefore, the user does not bear any financial costs. Used in HTC-cards contain a fairly detailed drawing of houses, their numbering. There is a mode of indicating the level of traffic jams in the city.
Unusual features
After listing the characteristics common to most other smartphones and the HTC 8S, we will consider several branded features that distinguish the device from analogues.
The smartphone is equipped with an interesting mechanism, called "politeness sensors". Its structure is represented by three main functions: lowering the volume of the ringtone (when the owner takes the phone in his hand), increasing it (when placing the device in his pocket), and also turning off the sound if the device is turned upside down. Each of the options is performed automatically.
The second remarkable feature is that in the screen lock mode the user sees nothing more than a weather forecast.
The third interesting mechanism laid down by the manufacturer in the smartphone is the HTC branded shell, which supplies the device owner with a lot of useful information in real time. This includes news, stock quotes, detailed forecast and actual weather conditions.
Expert Summary
Most experts who tested the smartphone did not reveal signs in it that at least somehow testified to the low quality of the assembly and operation of the software. Many consider the main advantage of the device the fact that the firmware installed on HTC 8S in the form of a "mobile" version of Windows provides excellent performance. Experts note that the device has every chance to win the sympathy of Russians because of the affordable price and a wide range of functions.
User reviews
What interesting things can we learn from reading the reviews left by users of the HTC 8S smartphone (not counting those that we have already cited above)? Phone owners also speak out about the gadget mainly in a positive way. Many of them emphasize the fact that a modest battery lasts for a relatively long battery life (compared to devices of a similar class with the same battery characteristics). Users praise the smartphone for the stability of most functions, as well as for its excellent design. Like many experts, the owners of the device believe that the price set by dealers of HTC 8S (about 5-6 thousand rubles, depending on the particular store) is fully consistent with the quality and capabilities of the device.
Marketing
What are the market prospects for the smartphone? It is believed that devices under the HTC brand have played a very prominent role in the market of devices running Windows Phone in recent years. This also applies to the Russian national segment. Many marketers believe that HTC solutions, including the 8S smartphone, have every chance of becoming leaders in their categories.
There is reason to say that the Russian Federation is one of the priority markets for the brand. It is enough, for example, to recall the fact that the first Russian phone running Windows Phone appeared precisely thanks to HTC. It's about the Mozart smartphone. According to marketers, he not only became a pioneer of the platform in the national mobile device market, but also took a very significant share in sales. The Taiwanese brand, experts say, will continue to be active in Russia, including through the promotion of devices like the HTC 8S.