After weeks of sitting on a terribly guarded secret, HTC has finally introduced the world to a gold variant of its popular One handset. A number of companies have quite clearly taken note of the excitement surrounding the launch of the gold iPhone 5s eight weeks ago and have decided that if you can’t beat them then you might as well join them. Or emulate them depending on your personal view of the situation. Apple watched as worldwide inventory of the gold iPhone 5s was immediately depleted upon launch, with HTC hoping that they can also generate the same levels of excitement about their gold option.
The golden colored version of the company’s flagship Android device will immediately sit alongside the existing silver, black, red and blue options in the hope that consumers will favor a more elaborate aesthetic during the festive shopping season. It is worth noting that this latest HTC release is limited to actually covering the hardware in a champagne colored coating and shouldn’t be confused with the 18-carat gold version of the device that was fleetingly available. We can’t deny that the One does look extremely fetching in gold, but considering the aesthetic seems to be borrowed from the iPhone 5s, we aren’t too sure about HTC’s claims of being “a global leader in mobile innovation and design”.
Consumers should be aware that the technical capabilities and underlying functionality of the HTC One remain unchanged. Rather than revamping the device and aim to further penetrate the market with this new version, HTC has instead decided just to change the external color of the hardware and launch it alongside the existing options. Those purchasing the new addition will be getting the same Snapdragon 600 processor, the same gorgeous 1080p display and the same Android Jelly Bean operating system that will benefit from a KitKat upgrade in January 2014.
As part of the official press announcement from London, HTC has confirmed that the gold colored hardware will be made available across multiple European regions through “a number of partners”. The company is yet to announce any solid launch dates, or even which networks will be stocking the new device, but we can be sure that we will all be able to give the gift of HTC branded gold this Christmas. It is also worth noting that this is not the 18kt gold HTC One which we reported about it October. And Samsung also didn’t waste time in announcing a Galaxy S4 Gold Edition handset, that too after the launch of the iPhone 5s. We’re sure a gold Lumia isn’t too far off either.
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