Given the current penchant for retro phones, it wouldn’t be surprising to see HTC – a phone company struggling to recreate its glorious past – reprise a handset from yesteryear.
Following the long-awaited reveal of the Moto Razr this week, a HTC department head teased his company might be considering launching a ‘classic’ handset of its own.
Drew Bamford, the head of HTC Creative Labs, took to Twitter today to canvas opinion for the HTC phone fans would like to see the company bring back from the dead, loaded with the latest tech (via Phandroid).
Which classic @htc phone would you like to see us bring back with today's technology?
— Drew Bamford (@drewbam) November 15, 2019
Naturally, the Twittersphere were quick to list their favourites, with the leading candidate seemingly the original HTC One (M7), the beloved 2013 phone with an aluminium unibody. The Android device brought a gorgeous design, great Sense UI implementation, Beats Audio tech (pre-Apple purchase) via a pair of front-facing stereo speakers, and a full HD 4.7-inch display.
HTC One (M7) series.. Let's move away from that slab of glass looking like psychedelic vomit.
— JB (@joeyyears) November 15, 2019
M7. Best phone I've ever owned
— Mark (@Icarustumbling) November 15, 2019
Bamford was inclined to agree, replying to one user with: “M7 was one of my favourites, as well! We were first with the aluminium unibody in Legend and we perfected it in M7.”
HTC fan Nicholas Gray started a Twitter poll for fans pick their favourites, listing the HTC One M7 and Droid DNA, as well as the first ever Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, or the HTC Touch Diamond as options.
Related: Motorola Razr vs Samsung Galaxy Fold
If we got to choose, we’d love to see the G1, with its slide-out QWERTY keyboard, or the HTC Hero, which was the first time I, personally, was truly wowed by a smartphone experience.
Which classic @htc smartphone do you want them to remake with today's best technology?
— Nicholas Gray (@nickmgray) November 15, 2019
Of course, Bamford is probably just having a little fun with the possibilities of a retro redo, given all of the chatter this week about the Moto Razr. Nokia is one of the companies who’ve already experienced success by revamping old phones, with the 3310 and 8810 handsets being released in recent years.
HTC, the darling of the early Android era, has struggled to ignite the imagination of smartphone users in recent years, amid the emergence of high-end, lower priced options from the likes of OnePlus, and the continued advancement of manufacturers like Huawei.
Could it bring back the glory days?
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.