The HTC One S: A Flagship Phone with a Mid-Life Crisis?

As I hold the HTC One S in my hand, it's hard to believe this phone is not the flagship model from its manufacturer. Despite being part of the "One" family, the One S doesn't quite live up to its sibling's reputation for exceptional design and performance. In fact, it's easy to overlook the One S at first glance, but trust me, this phone has some impressive features that make it worth considering.

The HTC One S ships with Android 4.0 on board, which is a significant upgrade from its competitors in terms of user experience and feature set. The phone's compact size and thin profile make it easy to carry around, measuring just 7.8mm in thickness. This makes it one of the thinnest phones in the market, even when compared to other flagship models. However, the One S's slim design also means that it may not stand out as much from its competitors in terms of industrial design and ergonomics.

One area where the HTC One S truly shines is in its display. The phone boasts a Super AMOLED display with QHD resolution, which may seem like a mouthful to some. While 720p resolution was once considered high-end, QHD is actually step behind the class-leading 1080p resolution that many modern smartphones offer today. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the One S's display is subpar. In fact, the Super AMOLED technology used here provides excellent color accuracy and contrast, making for a viewing experience unlike any other phone.

But what really sets the HTC One S apart from its competitors is its unique design features. The phone's curvaceous back is reminiscent of a premium smartphone like the iPhone 5s or Samsung Galaxy S III. The glass screen up front slopes slightly to create a seamless user experience, making it easy to navigate through menus and scroll through content. And then there's the aluminum unibody shell treated with microarc oxidation – a process that involves dipping the metal into a plasma bath and blasting it with 10,000 volts of electricity to create a ceramic-like finish.

The HTC One S also boasts an impressive array of internal specifications, including a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. While this may not seem like a lot compared to some other flagships on the market, it's still more than enough to handle most modern apps and games without any issues. However, there is one notable omission in terms of hardware – the lack of expandable storage or a user-replaceable battery is a major drawback for many users.

One area where the HTC One S truly shines is in its camera capabilities. The phone features an 8-megapixel sensor with a f/2.0 lens, which provides excellent low-light performance and color accuracy. However, image quality can be inconsistent at times, particularly when shooting in bright daylight conditions. Additionally, the phone's lack of optical zoom or portrait mode means that it may not be as versatile as some other flagship models.

So why should you consider the HTC One S over its competitors? While it may not offer the same level of performance or features as some other flagships on the market, it still provides an excellent user experience and a beautiful display. The phone's compact size, aluminum unibody shell, and impressive camera capabilities all make it a solid choice for anyone looking for a premium smartphone without breaking the bank.

Of course, there are also some significant drawbacks to consider when choosing between the HTC One S and its competitors. For example, the phone's lack of expandable storage or user-replaceable battery may be a major issue for users who need more flexibility in terms of upgrading their device. Additionally, the phone's QHD resolution is not as impressive as it once was, and the Super AMOLED technology used here may not provide the same level of contrast and color accuracy as some other display technologies.

Ultimately, the HTC One S is a solid choice for anyone looking for a premium smartphone that offers excellent performance and features without breaking the bank. While it may not be the most exciting or innovative device on the market, it's definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a new phone.

Beyond the HTC One S, there are other smartphones on the market that offer more impressive features and performance. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus, for example, offers an even better user experience and a larger display than the One S. And while the iPhone 4S has a superior ecosystem and camera capabilities, its compact size and thin profile may make it less appealing to some users.

One last thing worth mentioning is that the HTC One S is not as widely available as some other smartphones on the market. While it's still possible to find this phone in stores or online retailers, it may not be as easily accessible as some of its competitors. This could be a major drawback for users who are looking for a smartphone from a well-known brand.

In conclusion, the HTC One S is a solid choice for anyone looking for a premium smartphone that offers excellent performance and features without breaking the bank. While it may have some notable drawbacks, such as a lack of expandable storage or user-replaceable battery, it's still worth considering if you're in the market for a new phone.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhi I'm V The Verge and this is the HTC 1S it's the middle child of HTC's new one family of Android phones but he wouldn't know it to look at it the 1s is enough about it to justify being another company's flagship phone having recently reviewed Sony's xeria S I can say that this handset easily outdo it in terms of industrial design and ergonomics and it actually ships with Android 4.0 on board the ons is also thinner than most phones of the market today measuring 7.8 mm in thickness and it's uh actually very difficult to tell the difference between that and the 8.9 mm profile of the larger 1X although that's another thin phone and the real difference you go into f is compared to older and fatter handsets both the 1s and the 1X fit effortlessly into most pockets and are a joy to handle as thanks to the curv back which is echoed by the glass screen up front sloping of the sides where the 1X gains an advantage over the other one model is in having an aluminum unibody shell treated with microarc oxidation that's a process of Dipping the metal into a plasma bve and Blasting with 10,000 volts of electricity turning it into a ceramic between that and the gorilla glass display the one is should withand most physical threats posed by daily smartphone use the new treatment also makes the 1s surface feel unusual it isn't rough as such but has a lot of friction to it the internals of the 1s are right up to date it has a dual core snapd dragon S4 processor GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage however there's no micro SD car slow or user replaceable battery it also uses a micro SIM card and opening the compartment to access that is a bit of a nightmare a big reason why HC has been able to fit the 1s into such a thin body is a super amul display up front although it has two major shortcomings firstly is penti so you'll see un Pleasant color fringing on high contrast edges and secondly it has QHD resolution which is step behind the class leading 720p resolution if you had to pick a fatal floor to this phone the pent Matrix sub pixel Arrangement would probably be it it's one of those quality issues that you can't unsee once you've noticed it everyone who's seen this phone has asked me about the Beats Audio branding on the back and what it actually means uh basically it's a gimmick Beats Audio boosts the base and volume or whatever you listen to but doesn't actually make it sound any better and if it's not better why bother doing it there's a question also have to ask about sense 4 HC has cleaned up the new version of his Android scin dramatically but I can find no addition to the interface that actually adds anything to Ice Cream Sandwich the skin is more tolerable now but HC won't be the reason you find the software desirable it will be the underlying Android 4.0 which gives you access to new apps like Chrome for Android beta and refresh GMO client and it also makes for fast performance all around the one bit of software that HC does add value to is a camera app which now has the video and still capture buttons on the same screen and also allows you to shoot still photos while capturing video uh there's an automated Burst Mode as well which lets you pick the best photo out of a bunch and the whole thing feels more like a camera Suite rather than a basic app image capture is lightning quick Qui as well although image quality in spite of the f2.0 lens and 8 megap sensor is only average much as with their thickness the HC 1s and 1X are difficult to separate in terms of performance both are incredibly fast and if there's any advantage for the Tegra 3 inside the 1X is the Tegra Zone that's a growing library of games that come with Tegra specific graphical upgrades which uh you won't find with the Dual cor Snapdragon on the 1s there you be Stu playing Angry Birds or whatever qualcomm's game command a competive seg Zone ends up offering later on during the year if Force to choose between the 1s and the 1X I up for the 1X simply because of it's superb display it's a shame that HC couldn't match it in the 1s which is still a fantastic second choice broaden out your options Beyond HTC the Galaxy Nexus Remains the best Android experience you can have today the iPhone 4S offers an even better W ecosystem and superb camera performance and the Lumia 900 is the only phone to match the 1s in terms of screen size and design qualityhi I'm V The Verge and this is the HTC 1S it's the middle child of HTC's new one family of Android phones but he wouldn't know it to look at it the 1s is enough about it to justify being another company's flagship phone having recently reviewed Sony's xeria S I can say that this handset easily outdo it in terms of industrial design and ergonomics and it actually ships with Android 4.0 on board the ons is also thinner than most phones of the market today measuring 7.8 mm in thickness and it's uh actually very difficult to tell the difference between that and the 8.9 mm profile of the larger 1X although that's another thin phone and the real difference you go into f is compared to older and fatter handsets both the 1s and the 1X fit effortlessly into most pockets and are a joy to handle as thanks to the curv back which is echoed by the glass screen up front sloping of the sides where the 1X gains an advantage over the other one model is in having an aluminum unibody shell treated with microarc oxidation that's a process of Dipping the metal into a plasma bve and Blasting with 10,000 volts of electricity turning it into a ceramic between that and the gorilla glass display the one is should withand most physical threats posed by daily smartphone use the new treatment also makes the 1s surface feel unusual it isn't rough as such but has a lot of friction to it the internals of the 1s are right up to date it has a dual core snapd dragon S4 processor GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage however there's no micro SD car slow or user replaceable battery it also uses a micro SIM card and opening the compartment to access that is a bit of a nightmare a big reason why HC has been able to fit the 1s into such a thin body is a super amul display up front although it has two major shortcomings firstly is penti so you'll see un Pleasant color fringing on high contrast edges and secondly it has QHD resolution which is step behind the class leading 720p resolution if you had to pick a fatal floor to this phone the pent Matrix sub pixel Arrangement would probably be it it's one of those quality issues that you can't unsee once you've noticed it everyone who's seen this phone has asked me about the Beats Audio branding on the back and what it actually means uh basically it's a gimmick Beats Audio boosts the base and volume or whatever you listen to but doesn't actually make it sound any better and if it's not better why bother doing it there's a question also have to ask about sense 4 HC has cleaned up the new version of his Android scin dramatically but I can find no addition to the interface that actually adds anything to Ice Cream Sandwich the skin is more tolerable now but HC won't be the reason you find the software desirable it will be the underlying Android 4.0 which gives you access to new apps like Chrome for Android beta and refresh GMO client and it also makes for fast performance all around the one bit of software that HC does add value to is a camera app which now has the video and still capture buttons on the same screen and also allows you to shoot still photos while capturing video uh there's an automated Burst Mode as well which lets you pick the best photo out of a bunch and the whole thing feels more like a camera Suite rather than a basic app image capture is lightning quick Qui as well although image quality in spite of the f2.0 lens and 8 megap sensor is only average much as with their thickness the HC 1s and 1X are difficult to separate in terms of performance both are incredibly fast and if there's any advantage for the Tegra 3 inside the 1X is the Tegra Zone that's a growing library of games that come with Tegra specific graphical upgrades which uh you won't find with the Dual cor Snapdragon on the 1s there you be Stu playing Angry Birds or whatever qualcomm's game command a competive seg Zone ends up offering later on during the year if Force to choose between the 1s and the 1X I up for the 1X simply because of it's superb display it's a shame that HC couldn't match it in the 1s which is still a fantastic second choice broaden out your options Beyond HTC the Galaxy Nexus Remains the best Android experience you can have today the iPhone 4S offers an even better W ecosystem and superb camera performance and the Lumia 900 is the only phone to match the 1s in terms of screen size and design quality\n"