Cheaper plastic HTC One M8 could be on the way

The HTC One M8 is currently Stuff’s best smartphone in the world, and HTC looks set to spread the M8 love even further with a cheaper plastic variant.

According to Chinese site TMTpost’s source, the Taiwanese tech giant is planning to release a plastic-clad version of the HTC One (M8) which will be substantially cheaper than the M8 at around US$480 or £290.

There’s no mention of the rumoured handset being smaller than the current M8, which rules out the possibility of it being a new HTC M8 Mini model.

The latest speculation suggests that we could be looking at a new HTC butterfly model, which traditionally has similar specs to the flagship One device, packed into a less premium body.

There’s no word yet on whether or not its insides will be any less powerful or retain its dual cameras and front-facing speakers, but we’re hoping that HTC isn’t sacrificing anything more than build quality 

Ditching the aluminium build goes against the M8’s biggest upside – its premium design – but if it is released at a price point that undercuts feature packed rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S5, we could see it snapped up with open arms.

That’s all the info we have for the time being, so stay tuned for more details as and when we get them.

READ MORE: HTC One (M8) review

[TMTpost via Tech Radar]

Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.