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HTC's last two flagship Android handsets have done much to make up the ground lost to Samsung's trailblazing Galaxy S range. However, last year's HTC One M8, impressive as it was, felt like only a minor jump over what preceded it. Evolutionary rather than revolutionary, it took a leaf out of Apple's book by subtly enhancing the M7's design, mimicking the two-year design cycle popularised by the Cupertino company. This year's model arguably takes even more modest steps forward, offering a device that, to the layperson, is mostly identical to its predecessor in its aesthetic. There are improvements under the bonnet and this is without a doubt one of the best-made and most luxurious Android handsets on the market - but it's hard to shake the impression that HTC is stumbling back into the rut it tried so valiantly to escape in 2013.Someone at HTC is clearly proud of the One's design, as its stylish aluminium-framed look has been retained for a third time - albeit with minor alterations. The back of the device is hewn from a single slab of scratch-resistant metal and boasts a premium feel that is unmatched in the Android arena - and, it must be said, even puts Apple's typically lush handsets to shame. New colour options are on the table this year, with a two-tone gold and silver unit making the phone very nearly resemble an item of jewellery.
It's a look we're not entirely sure works; the rear of the phone is a close match to the M8, but the gold edging comes across as a little tacky. We're also not convinced the power button's new home - on the right-hand edge, slap-bang in the middle - is the most ergonomic choice. It's just below two volume buttons of a similar size and shape, and is consequently difficult to find in a hurry. All in all though, this is a handsome device with a premium feel, and on some level it's easy to see why HTC doesn't want to consign this particular template to the scrapheap just yet. Few other Android phones come close, at least in terms of aesthetic charm.
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