Sony Xperia Z2 vs HTC One (M8): the 'premium' device comparison

HTC and Sony are currently the only two smartphone makers that rely on so-called premium materials (although Oppo is right there too). Instead of polycarbonate cases and plastic clip-ons, here we have aluminum and glass only, giving both devices give a very sophisticated look. But it's not just about looks, the overall impression must also be convincing. So, which device ticks the most boxes? Time for a comparison.

© AndroidPIT

Design and manufacture: flat versus curvy

Sony has opted to perpetuate their OmniBalance design language in the Xperia Z2. If you like it, this is good news. If you were hoping for something a little different you'll be disappointed. In plain English this means the front and back are made of glass and the frame is made of aluminum. This makes the phone extremely flat, but also pretty edgy.

Sharp edges, square corners and boxy construction: Sony's OmniBalance design Xperia Z2. / © AndroidPIT

In contrast, the One (M8) from HTC is all curves: not only is the back nicely curved but the corners are also much more rounded than the Z2. While a preference for hard edges or rounded curves is purely a matter of personal opinion, HTC have tended to attract more accolades for their design than Sony.

The convex rear of the HTC One (M8), curves and smooth edges. / © AndroidPIT

The Xperia Z2 is protected against water and dust. This has the consequence that up to the headphone port all ports (microSD, micro-USB and micro-SIM) are hidden behind protective flaps. Another difference: unlike the HTC One (M8), the Z2 has a physical camera shutter button, which should be particularly important for avid smartphone photographers.

Display: size matters

Both devices feature a Full-HD display, and both devices house an IPS LCD panel, so the only difference lies in size. The display of the HTC One (M8) measures 5 inches, the Xperia Z2 is 5.2 inches, which might sound better on paper but it means the Z2 has a slightly lower pixel density. While the One (M8) comes in at 441 pixels per inch, the Z2 "only" has 424 ppi. In practice, this makes no difference at all. Both displays provide an image sharp enough that you can not discern individual pixels and both devices perform relatively equally on brightness and viewing angle.

Both displays are made of the same stuff, the only difference is a minor size difference. / © AndroidPIT

Software: Sense vs Xperia UI

If you like pure Android, you're in the wrong place as far as these devices go. Having said that though, both HTC and Sony take a rather minimal approach to tweaking Android. Nothing a custom launcher and icon pack couldn't fix anyway. HTC offers the One with Sense 6 and significantly more software functions, be it BlinkFeed or the array of Motion Launch gesture controls. However, the Z2 with Xperia UI also provides some additional features, including support for themes, STAMINA energy saving mode and the ability to connect a Dualshock controller.

Sense 6 (left), Xperia UI (right). / © AndroidPIT

Bottom line, it can be said that Sony has made significantly fewer changes to stock Android with the Z2 than HTC has with the One (M8), but perhaps HTC has a little more to offer on the software front than Sony.

Performance and battery: partial victory for the Z2

In everyday life and also in complex 3D games, there is no noticeable difference between One (M8) and Z2. In both models a quad-core Snapdragon 801 by Qualcomm resides, with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz. However, the Z2 has 3 GB of RAM, whereas there are only 2 GB of RAM in the HTC One (M8). This obviously makes some impact on the processing speeds of the Z2, but again, in normal usage you're unlikely to notice. However, it does make the Z2 a little more future-proof than the One (M8). There is one big difference, however: the battery pack. The Z2 has a capacity of 3,200 mAh, whereas the One (M8) is a full 600 mAh less, with a capacity of 2,600 mAh. While this may seem like a significant point, we only saw a few days ago just how good the Galaxy S5 battery life is, despite its meager size.

Camera: Ultrapixels versus megapixels

The HTC One (M8) has two rear lenses comprising the Duo Camera. The second camera is primarily used for depth calculation and subsequently adjusting the focus in photos after they have been taken. The Xperia Z2 has a conventional camera with a resolution of 20.7 megapixels. The Ultrapixel camera of the HTC One (M8) dissolves in comparison with 4 megapixels, even if we're not exactly comparing apples to apples because of the Ultrapixel sensor arrangement. Nevertheless, the differences are enormous and the Z2 shoots much better photos. The Z2 also offers the possibility of high-resolution 4K video recording.

UltraPixel vs. Megapixel. / © AndroidPIT

 Technical Specifications

	Sony Xperia Z2	HTC One (M8)
System	Android 4.4	Android 4.4
Display	5.2 inches, IPS, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 424 ppi	5 inches, IPS, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 441 ppi
Processor	Quad-core Snapdragon 801, 2.3 GHz	Quad-core Snapdragon 801, 2.3 GHz
RAM	3 GB	2 GB
Battery	3,200 mAh	2,600 mAh
Internal Memory	16 GB, microSD up to 128 GB	16 GB, microSD up to 64 GB
Camera	20.7 MP (rear), 2.2 MP (front)	4 MP (rear), 5 MP (front)
Dimensions	146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm	146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm
Weight	158 grams	160 grams
Connectivity	UMTS HSPA+, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0	UMTS HSPA+, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
Price	600 USD (TBC)	650 USD

Conclusion

The Xperia Z2 can be seen in this comparison as the marginal winner. The camera is better, the battery is stronger and it is possibly slightly cheaper (based on European pricing) - we still don't have a confirmed Z2 US price yet. However, the HTC One offers hand-friendly and eye-catching design and has more software functions with cool features like Motion Launch and the Duo Camera. Display size and user interface are strictly personal choices. Anyone that is not a fan of edgy smartphones, places more emphasis on extensive software features and does not mind a slightly higher price, is better served by the HTC One (M8). The Sony Xperia Z2 may just get you a better overall package for the money, including the dynamic duo of better camera and battery, but it's almost impossible to call it in this comparison. I prefer the (M8), other editors prefer the Z2.

What's your pick? Which features are the most important for you?

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Forget the One (M8), it’s the Desire line that may actually save HTC

So the HTC One (M8) is out, the reviews are in, and I think we can say that, just like the previous model, it is easily a candidate for this year’s best smartphone. That means HTC is saved, right? Not so fast. They have been down this route before.

But making the best smartphone in the world had not bailed HTC out of its financial troubles.

The original HTC One was introduced in February 2013, and by April it had hit most markets in the world. By the end of September, according to ABI Research, HTC’s global market share was 1%. To put that into perspective, 1% is the same market share as that of Xiaomi, a three-year old startup that at the time was only operating in three markets, one of which is a city state smaller than New York.

How could this have happened?

The New York Times thought that it was down to their marketing. However, I beg to differ. I believe HTC’s biggest mistake was its failure to compete in emerging markets.

In January, research firm Gartner reported that the majority of smartphone sales growth in 2013 came from the emerging markets. Many analysts agree that this trend is going to only get stronger in the future.

Let’s use the fastest growing smartphone market in 2013, India, as a proxy to understand what has been happening in these high growth markets. The following figure shows the top smartphone vendors in India in Q3 2013 which was the first full quarter in which the HTC One was available in the market.

If marketing was the most important piece in HTC’s failure last year, why is it that Micromax and Karbonn were the two companies hot on Samsung’s tail in India?

Those who spent some time in India last year would notice that Apple had been making a strong marketing push in the market. Yet Apple’s figure is lingering close to the relegation zone, while Micromax and Karbonn’s figures combined is as big as Samsung’s and 14 times the size of Apple’s.  Furthermore, according to IDC, Apple was kicked out of the Indian top 5 list of smartphone vendors in Q4 2013.

Understanding emerging markets

To understand HTC’s challenge, one needs to understand the defining features that differentiate developing markets from mature markets.

First is the total absence (or at least limited impact) of carrier subsidy. Smartphones in these markets are sold at retail directly to end users just like microwave ovens, cars, and pretzels.

The second characteristic was first pointed out to me by an India-based analyst, Sameer Singh, in what he called “usage-based smartphone segmentation”. Basically, consumers who are in the market for low-end devices are looking to get their first connected device. Typical use case scenario for consumers in this bracket are communication, social networking and light media consumption.

Meanwhile, those looking to purchase midrange devices are looking to not only replace their old phones but also to replace their netbooks as their only personal connected device. Thus, to attract these type of consumers, devices have to fulfill the typical roles of a smartphone, but also be good at performing tasks that in the past were associated with netbooks. This explains the rapidly rising popularity of low-cost smartphones but also of phablets in these markets, as reported by IDC.

Combining these traits with the low average income prevalent in these regions, we can build a picture of how the average emerging market consumer view smartphones based on their prices, and where HTC’s 2013 offerings sit in these markets.

1. The low end

Smartphones available for under $250 belong to this category. This is the segment in which non-phablets can be expected to be successful in the emerging markets. You might have heard how Nokia’s Lumia 520 enjoyed quite a success in the emerging markets last year. This was the reason why. This also explains why after tax, the Moto G is selling for around $210 – $240 in the emerging markets, which means that it sits inside the price bracket where such a device can be expected to gain the most attention.

The Moto G has put Motorola back on the map

In India, local manufacturers like Karbonn were bringing quad-core devices into the sub $200 segment, while HTC practically went AWOL.

2. The mid-range

The segment covers devices priced between $250 and $500 off-contract. This is the segment in which most of the rapid growth of phablets happened. In India, local manufacturers made a strong showing in this segment with both Micromax and Karbonn offering 720p phablets for around $300. Elsewhere in Asia, regional players like Lenovo flooded the market with phablets that had 720p screens and quad core processors with price tags between $270-320.

Samsung’s Galaxy Grand might have caused confusion among critics in the developed markets, but from the emerging market’s perspective, it allowed Samsung to have a phablet device that was available for under $50 more than alternatives from local and regional players. Sure enough, it quickly became the affordable phablet to beat.

With its mid-range specs and Note 3 inspired design, the Grand 2 is the phone to beat in emerging markets

HTC had three models in this price bracket. The Desire 300, Desire XC and the Desire 600. Looking at their specs, primarily their 4 to 4.7-inch WVGA screens, it’s easy to see why none of these devices have made a splash.

3. The high-end

As we have demonstrated above, this is the least important segment in terms of looking for growth in the emerging markets. Consumers in this segment not only have significantly higher purchasing power but also access to various financing plans. This means, they are the least sensitive to pricing, as the difference between purchasing a $550 phone and getting an $850 one is less than 50 bucks if they buy the phone under a 12 months financing plan.

This is why the HTC One Mini did not do much to help HTC in 2013. At $520, from the perspective of high-end emerging market consumers, the 4-inch phone was competing against  the Galaxy S4, the iPhone 5, even HTC’s own original One.

The One Mini was too expensive for the experience it offered

Why HTC’s new Desire phones are probably HTC’s most crucial models this year

HTC’s failure to understand the needs of buyers in fast-growing markets was one of the primary culprits of its problems throughout 2013.

The good news is that, unlike last year, HTC now has devices with the potential to turn its fortunes.

But the One (M8) is not one of them.

Think of the new HTC One (M8) as the Mercedes S Class. It’s okay to build something that is a proud demonstration of what is currently possible. However, the majority of Mercedes-Benz models sold is the C Class, not the S Class. Without generations after generations of competitive “affordable” models, Mercedes would have probably ended up being a small niche player. This is why Autocar magazine thinks that the new C Class is Mercedes’ most important model.

This is also why HTC’s new Desire 610 and Desire 816 are keys to HTC’s survival.

And, from the look of it, the Desire 610, with its quad-core Snapdragon SoC and 4.7-inch display, has a good chance to shake things up in the sub $250 segment.

Competition in the low-end bracket is certainly harsher this year, with the availability of devices like the Moto G, Nokia X phones, as well as updated models from regional players. However, the Desire 610’s design pedigree, as well as its widespread brick and mortar availability, may hopefully sway some consumers down HTC’s way, if it’s priced right.

HTC Desire 610

Meanwhile, competition in the mid-range bracket has not been standing still either. Everyone’s brand-to-beat, Samsung, has updated the Galaxy Grand with specs that are now on par with the competition. The $380 Galaxy Grand 2 now comes with a 5.25-inch 720p screen and quad-core Snapdragon 400 chipset.

Nevertheless, the Desire 816 still has a good chance to compete. Specifically, compared to the Galaxy Grand 2, HTC’s Desire 816 still has some competitive advantages that could pull consumers away from Samsung’s grasp.

HTC Desire 816

Like the Desire 610, its design is inspired by what is arguably the world’s best built smartphone. That design also comes with HTC’s signature front facing speaker setup, which consumers who consume lots of media will surely find attractive. It also has a larger screen than the Grand 2. Considering how consumers in this price range are big on getting the most computing potential from their investments, having a bigger screen should certainly help HTC’s cause.

However, just like with the Desire 610, all this is reliant upon the assumption that HTC will set the Desire 816’s price to be competitive in the lower mid-range segment (under $400).

The worst thing for HTC to do is to set this phone’s price the way it set the One Mini’s in 2013.

The Desire 610 and Desire 816 are not the only ones with the potential to turn HTC’s fortunes this year.  HTC also has a Mediatek powered device that’s set to hit the world’s biggest smartphone market, China, very soon.

It is clear that HTC now has the devices that could allow them to take advantage of the rapid growth of the developing markets, which is a far cry to what they had last year. If HTC can price them competitively, these phones could be HTC’s much-awaited get-out-of-jail card.

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