As HTC prepares to unveil its new HTC One smartphone (codenamed "M7") Tuesday, Feb. 19, numerous reports suggest the company will reveal a super-powered camera in a bid to differentiate the device from competing sets.
The HTC One will reportedly feature three separate 4.3-megapixel cameras that combine to create a single, high-quality image. The move comes as many mobile companies struggle to set themselves apart from Apple and Samsung, whose iPhones and Galaxies dominate the global market.
Other smartphone makers like Nokia, too, are exploring different camera-sensing options for upcoming devices like the new Lumia Windows Phone.
Since cameras have become increasingly integrated into a person's daily lifestyle, the thinking goes that by offering superior photo-taking capabilities, customers will be compelled to give phones by HTC a second look. Many analysts, however, question that strategy.
"Having a better camera might help users pick a device over some other, but that is questionable," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Gartner, to Computerworld. "Just look at Samsung's success despite not having a great camera experience, or on the other hand, Sony's [lesser success] even though it had great cameras in phones all along."
"Good camera technology is certainly a requirement today, but it seems that good enough is enough," Milanesi added.
Analyst Jack Gold agrees, adding that a phone's operating system is far more important than the kind of camera it's packing.
"I don't think a camera alone can swing a buyer. It's frosting on the cake, and not the cake itself," he said. "You still have to convince buyers that the OS choice is what they want. The camera has influence, but not overriding the OS choice, in my opinion. A good camera can't save an otherwise me-too or poor quality phone experience."
If that's the case, HTC might have a tough road ahead as it attempts to convince customers to convert. The company is scheduled to officially reveal the HTC One at 11 a.m. Tuesday Feb. 19, so check back later to see how the new phone is received.
Following are the HTC One's expected specs:
- 4.7-inch optically laminated 1080p display (468ppi)
- 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
- 32GB/64GB storage
- 2GB memory
- 13-megapixel camera composed of three stacked 4.3 Ultrapixels sensors
- 2-megapixels front camera with 1080p video capture
- Front-facing stereo speakers with Beats amplifier
- 2,300 mAh battery
- Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense 5 OS
