HTC First vs HTC One: Will You Prefer Facebook Home Phone or the UltraPixel Behemoth?

HTC recorded a 25% drop in profits in Q4 2012 as the manufacturer is struggling to compete with the Android rivals and iPhone. It seems like the company is attempting hard to get back the lost market share by making different approaches.

Back in 2012, HTC came out with some innovative phone concepts - the Windows Phone 8 based 8X and 8S and also the 1080p display Butterfly. But, as these launches happened in the last quarter they could not create much impact on the sales figures of the struggling Taiwanese handset vendor.

However, this year HTC has incorporated some out-of-the-box thinking and recently the company launched One, the current flagship smartphone with a 1080p display, UltraPixel camera and Sense 5 UI apart from other impressive features.

But a device which could prove to be a saviour for HTC, the world's first Android smartphone based on Facebook Home - the newly launched - HTC First.

For those, who are still now aware, on April 4 at a special event in California, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Facebook Home, a new customized Android based OS which will give users direct access to Facebook right from the homescreens. Users can also chat from their home screens without having to launch specific chat applications. It also eradicates the necessity of logging into the specific Facebook application to stay connected to friends.

Click here for HTC One images....

Click here for HTC One images....

While HTC One is claimed to be released in India by last week of April at an estimated price of Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000. On the other hand, being a mid-range offering, First has already been announced for AT&T, a US carrier at $450 (approx Rs 25,000) without contract. Further, First will be available in White, Red, Light Blue and Black color options.

First and One - the two HTC smartphones might definitely create a big confusion for anyone who is looking forward to buy an handset made by HTC. But, which one suits you? Read the comparison below before you could decide.

Form Factor: HTC First boasts dimension of 126 x 65 x 9 mm and weight of around 124 grams, whereas, One carries a dimension of 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm and weighs in at 143 grams. Further, One could be an interesting offering as it flaunts a water resistant build.

On the display front, First sports a 4.3 inch multi-touch capacitive touchscreen display with 1280 x 720 pixels and 341 ppi pixel density. In comparison, One houses a larger 4.7 inch Super LCD3 multi-touch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and an eye-popping pixel density of 469.

Further, the display in One is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 2. It is to be noted that the increased pixel density in the smartphone will be combined with the Super LCD 3 display offering faster response times.

Processor: In this segment, HTC One scores more with a 1.7GHz quad core Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 processor as compared to the 1.4GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor in the First. The Qualcomm chip can increase the power management capabilities, multimedia performance and offer fast graphic processing.

Operating System: Both First and One are based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and hence, they come with features such as Project Butter, on-screen navigational buttons, improved expandable and contractible Android notifications, resizable App Widgets functionality, Android Beam, Google Now and more.

Camera: First houses a 5MP rear camera with BSI sensor and autofocus a 1.6MP front camera for video calling. On the other hand, One has a 4MP camera termed as 'UltraPixel' with autofocus, LED flash, optical image stabilization and a 2.1MP front camera for video calling. Both the handsets are capable of recording 1080p videos.

The camera in HTC One is talked about much as it is the first one to come with UltraPixel camera, which is similar to the one used in advanced compact cameras. Further, these UltraPixel cameras are claimed to offer better low light performance.

Storage: First has 16GB internal storage and 1GB RAM and One comes with 32GB/64GB internal storage and 2GB RAM. Both the handsets lack a micro SD card slot for expandable memory support.

Connectivity: In terms of internet connectivity, HTC One comes with super fast connectivity speeds with up to 100 Mbps download speeds apart from usual connectivity features including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and micro USB 2.0. Further, HTC One comes with an Infrared sensor as well. On the other hand, First has average download speeds, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and micro USB 2.0.

Battery: HTC First is loaded with a 2,000 mAh battery and One is equipped with a 2,330 mAh battery, both of undisclosed backup.

Software Features: HTC First is the first smartphone to feature the new Facebook Home app. The application is designed to display the updates happening on the social network right on the homescreen instead of checking the Facebook app. On the other hand, HTC One with Sense 5 UI comes with features such as BlinkFeed, Zoe, BoomSound and Sense Voice for a enhanced user experience.

At the end, though both the handsets are from HTC, one is an advanced offering with better specifications while the other is a mid-range offering. Further, if the Facebook Home seems to trigger your interest, it has to be noted that HTC One is one of the six smartphones that are in queue to receive the Facebook Home app starting April 12, 2013.