For the second year in a row HTC is shrinking its flagship phone to offer a “mini” model. And for the second year in a row, the screen size isn’t the only thing that’s shrinking.
Just like last year’s HTC One mini, the new HTC One mini 2Â looks like the company’s latest high-end device. But it has a smaller screen, a lower display resolution, a slower processor, less memory, and other cut-down features.
The good news is that means it’ll also likely have a smaller price tag.
The HTC One mini 2 features the same design as the HTC One (M8), including front-facing stereo speakers and a choice of colors including gray, silver, and gold. But it lacks the depth-sensing dual-lens camera, full HD display, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor of its 5 inch sibling.
Instead, the HTC One mini 2 features:
- 4.5 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel display
- 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core CPU
- 1GB of RAM
- 16GB of storage + microSD card slot for up to 128GB more
- Android 4.4 KitKat with HTC Sense 6.0
- 2100mAh battery
On the bright side, HTC is playing up features including the 5MP front-facing camera with a BSI sensor for snapping “high-quality selfies,” if that’s not an oxymoron. There’s also a 13MP rear camera (instead of the 4MP “Ultrapixel” camera on the HTC One (M8) and the stereo front-facing speakers have the same amplifier as those in HTC’s larger phone.
The phone also features WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC as well as support for 4G LTE networks.
The HTC One mini 2 is scheduled to launch in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa starting in June.
It’s a little funny that in 2014 companies can call a phone with a 4.5 inch display a “mini.” There was a time when phones with similarly-sized phones were considered enormous: and that time was just a few years ago.
Actually sounds like a really nice phone. If I was in the market I would consider this and the Moto X.
Still want to see a “Max” version with a really big battery (around 3500 – 4000 mAh).
Interesting compromises. Just waiting on z2 mini and g3 mini to compare. There are a lot of china based good spec’d phones for cheap but no kitkat.