HTC One M8 for Windows

Available now (Verizon Wireless, US)
19th August 2014

The HTC One M8 is undoubtedly one of the best handsets on the market at the moment. But everyone knows that it is an Android phone.. isn't it? Well, the clever folks at Microsoft and HTC have created a version of the One M8 that runs Windows Phone 8.1 instead.

At the moment this device is exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the US, but there's a reasonable chance that the Windows version of the one M8 might make it to other markets too.

As far as we can tell, the Windows version of the one M8 is pretty much identical to the Android version in terms of hardware features. We suspect that there are some subtle differences underneath, but apart from some different radio circuitry to support Verizon's CDMA network then they look functionally identical.

Just in case you were living under a rock when the One M8 was originally announced, this is a 2.3GHz quad-core device with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 5" full HD display and a trick 4 megapixel dual camera on the back which while being rather good is unconventional enough to put people off. All of this is wrapped in a gorgeous metal case, making the One M8 distinctly different from almost everything else on the market.

The One M8 for Windows is available to order now from Verizon at a price about 50% cheaper than the Android version, but that doesn't necessarily reflect how a worldwide version might be priced. This pricing perhaps hints that Microsoft might be supporting the price of the Windows version to make it more attractive, and that would reflect the very good value that the high-end Lumias offer.

The appearance of the One M8 for Windows perhaps offers more questions than it does answers. Will the phone be available on other networks than Verizon? Have Microsoft given HTC a pile of cash to make this? Will HTC make others Windows phones, perhaps a version of the One E8? Are Microsoft undermining their own Lumia line?

Windows 8.1 is a fine operating system, one that is more polished and coherent than Android but without the massive application base. Whether or not the Windows version of the One M8 will pull in many customers from the Android version remains to be seen.