HTC One M8 with Duo Cameras, 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 801 goes official

HTC One M8 has just gone official in an event in New York. The beautiful new HTC One M8 is the successor to last year's HTC One and brings with it a Duo Camera setup at the back alongwith a 2.3/2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor running Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The Duo camera setup at the back has a primary 4 MP UltraPixel camera with a 1/3" sensor, 2 micron-sized pixels and f/2.0 aperture alongwith a second camera located above it meant to gather depth information. The dual-LED flash at the back automatically selects the right tone based on the environment being captured to make the images look more real and visually appealing.

There's a 5 MP front-facing camera as well capable of recording 1080p videos alongwith f/2.0 aperture wide angle lens and BSI Sensor. The Duo camera setup adds software features like UFocus which lets you focus on a part of the image using the depth information stored when the photograph is taken, then there's the Foregrounder which allows you to manipulate the background of the image keeping your subject constant. The new HTC One M8's camera is able to focus faster as well in just 0.3 seconds. 

However, all is not hunky-dory, the Optical Image Stabilization from the original HTC One (M7) is now gone and replaced by digital stabilization. That is understandable if you want to make a thinner device. The new HTC One M8 has 90% metal construction as opposed to 70% on the original HTC One (M7). HTC also claims that the 2600 mAh non-removable battery on the M8 lasts 40% longer than its predecessor.

Another cool feature on the HTC One M8 is the ability to launch the camera without unlocking the phone. All you need to do is pick up the phone in landscape mode and then press the volume up key and it straight away fires the camera app. HTC is calling this Motion Control. The BoomSound speakers on the new One are 25% louder than the previous-gen as well.

The HTC One M8 will be available in Glacial Silver, Gunmetal Gray and Amber Gold colors although at present there is no mention of price or global availability apart from the fact that it would appear on 230 operators.