Skip to main content

HTC One M8 Prime appears to be dead before arrival (updated)

HTC One M8 Harman Kardon Edition rear
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Updated on 05-30-2014 by Williams Pelegrin: It looks like the One M8 Prime won’t see the light of day, after all. According to a recent leak by @evleaks, HTC has indefinitely suspended development on the rumored handset. No further explanation was given as to why exactly the Taiwanese company would reportedly make such a move, though yesterday’s leaks might give us an indication as to what direction HTC is headed instead.

A report originating in Japan has leaked the specification of a future HTC smartphone, referred to as the M8 Prime, and if the information is accurate, it’s shaping up to be a real powerhouse. In 2013, HTC released three different versions of its One flagship phone. The standard HTC One, alongside the One Mini and the One Max. We’re expecting a One Mini 2 to be announced soon, so could the M8 Prime turn out to be the One Max 2?

Recommended Videos

The headline feature is all set to be a 5.5-inch touchscreen with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, according to the source, which would take the phone beyond the One M8’s 1080p. However, a 5.5-inch screen on the M8 Prime would make it 0.4-inches smaller than the One Max

It seems 1440p screen resolutions are going to be the hot ticket for the second half of 2014. The M8 Prime would be in direct competition with the soon-to-be-announced LG G3 for example. Also, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 could feature a high-res screen, and the company is rumored be working on another 1440p phone known as the Galaxy S5 Prime.

New Duo Camera, plus a Snapdragon 805 chip

Moving on from the screen tech, HTC may upgrade the camera too. Apparently, it’ll be another Duo Camera setup to reproduce the Bokeh effect, just like the One M8. However, the UltraPixel lens could be increased to 5-megapixels. The source also talks about an 18-megapixel camera, but it’s not clear how this will fit into the phone. 

The final notable spec was the possible inclusion of the Snapdragon 805 processor, which is expected to be found in various devices towards the end of the year. Other listed features include 3GB of RAM, and a rather feeble 16GB of internal memory, but there’s no mention of the fingerprint sensor which made the One Max unique in HTC’s range.

The source states the phone will be announced sometime around September this year, which not only fits in with the Snapdragon 805’s expected availability, but with the One Max’s one-year anniversary too.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
I did an iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro camera test. It’s a close one
Natural Titanium iPhone 16 Pro Max (left) and a Blue Titanium iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup is here. Though the base model iPhone 16 has taken a lot of the spotlight this year with the redesigned camera layout and amazing colors, the iPhone 16 Pro is a bit more iterative in terms of upgrades.

I personally bought an iPhone 16 Pro to upgrade from my iPhone 15 Pro. To be honest, though, if the iPhone 16 had a 1TB storage option, I would have gone that route. Since it doesn’t, I had to go with the iPhone 16 Pro, as much as I wanted a pink phone. But storage wasn't the only reason — I also wanted the improved telephoto camera that I missed out on last year.

Read more
How to use Apple Intelligence Writing Tools on your iPhone
Writing Tools on iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple has finally joined the AI game with Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1, which are now available to everyone with a compatible phone. You can finally start using all of these cool new AI features, such as Writing Tools, smarter Siri, Clean Up in Photos, and more.

Read more
Best Kindle deals: Get Kindle Unlimited for free
Amazon Kindle Scribe.

The Kindle lineup has long been among the best e-book readers on the market. Amazon recently updated its entire Kindle lineup, and while that hasn’t turned out any new Kindle deals yet, there are some ways to save on both new models and old. You can save 20% on brand new Kindles if you have an eligible device to trade in, which creates for some significant price drops. We’ve pieced together all of the information you need in order to save on a brand new Kindle or on some older models that will offer lower price points. You can read onward for those details, and if a full-fledged tablet may better suit your needs, don’t miss today’s best tablet deals, best iPad deals, best Samsung tablet deals, and best Amazon Fire tablet deals.
Kindle (2024) — $88 with trade-in $110 20% off

The recently released Amazon Kindle (2024) is the lightest and most compatible Kindle, and it now has a brighter front light when it’s at max setting. It also has a higher contrast ratio and faster page turns for an enhanced reading experience. This Kindle will allow you to read for up to six full weeks on a single battery charge, and it even has a setting to tune out messages, emails, and social media for a distraction-free experience.

Read more