HTC One M8 is the best phone of the decade
HTC One M8 is the best phone of the decade. This phone was launched in 2014. Since then you have seen the introduction of brand new, game-changing technologies as well as the death of big brands and operating systems.
Back in 2010, came the HTC Desire and iPhone 4. Now, there are foldable devices, the introduction of 5G and some of the most high-tech pieces of kit you could imagine in your pocket and manufacturers have taken devices to new heights in the last 10 years. When reviewing smartphones for the entire decade and beyond, experts from Tech radar Gareth Beavis and Phones Editor James Peckham come up with a top-five list of the most impressive, influential and trendsetting devices of the last 10 years.
HTC One M8
According to the experts the very best of the best is the HTC One M8. HTC, in the early part of this decade, was the big challenger to Apple’s iPhone dominance, with the Desire being the first true rival from the Android stable. And while Samsung’s resources and budget meant it started to pick up momentum, HTC’s rebooted ‘One’ line of phones was still the critics’ choice for so many reasons.
The ‘original’ One was launched in 2013, and it showed that HTC was a brand still to be reckoned with – the metal chassis, the brilliant low-light camera and front-firing BoomSound speakers were revolutionary, and the software made the very most of Android.
The One M8 was proof that perfection could be improved upon. The upgraded screen, speakers and addition of a second lens were big jumps forward but it was the refined, polished and just more impressive feel of the phone in the hand of all times.
Though it might not have dramatically exceeded the specs of the previous model, but that was a revolutionary device – the One M8 showed that it’s possible to bring amazing refinement and improvements in key areas, and that’s why it’s still a phone you would love to see rebooted and brought into the 2020s.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge wasn’t just the bendy screen technology that resonated though. The screen was bigger because of that curved tech, and it was just a genuinely well built phone with a beautiful glass design. There was a bigger battery that allowed for the phone to last for a solid day, plus the camera was one of the best that you would seen on a phone at the time and by far the greatest Samsung had introduced.
If you’re looking for a well-designed, powerful phone that actually packs some useful day-to-day features, the Galaxy S7 Edge is the one to go for.”
Moto G
The Moto G is by far the least impressive handset but it changed what phones were capable of. It didn’t have an impact on the top-end like the HTC One M8 or the iPhone 5S in 2013, but instead it changed the bottom of the market.
Motorola made a conscious effort to supply impressive devices at the cheaper end of the market. It changed what you could expect from the low-end handsets that were quite often terrible and difficult to recommend to anyone looking to save money.
The Moto G came along in 2013, and it just worked. Though, it didn’t have an impressive rear camera or phenomenal power inside, but it did enough so it just actually worked well. Also this phone on the market cost less.
From there, the company took the Moto G series to new heights introducing new camera technology as well as new variants that have their own specific impressive features.
Take the Moto G7 Power with its phenomenal two day battery life. Without the Moto G, that phone wouldn’t have been possible. The Moto G won’t go down as the best phone of the 2010’s, but it helped change the face of one of the most interesting areas of the whole phone industry.
iPhone 4
In iPhone 4 the Retina display was higher-res than anything Apple had made until that point – and of higher quality and richness too. The camera was boosted, taking faster and sharper pictures that really shone on the new screen tech. The design has the industrial, metal rim and glass back were a real statement that Apple was serious about the smartphone game, and the improved power and upgraded design were shining symbols of that. Apple’s burgeoning App Store, slick design and easy interface on the iPhone 4 was the moment the iPhone became more mainstream in critics’ eyes – and that led to the domination you see today.
OnePlus 3
The Chinese manufacturer rocked the mobile market with its OnePlus One ‘flagship killer’ in 2014, but with limited availability and a tepid follow-up in the form of the OnePlus 2, it wasn’t until 2016 and the OnePlus 3 when the firm really made its mark on the industry.
The OnePlus 3 was the company’s first all-metal handset, instantly making it look and feel like a true top-tier device. It boasted a flagship chipset, plenty of RAM and a large 5.5-inch display. The OnePlus 3 cost around half the price of the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, HTC 10 and Sony Xperia X.
OnePlus 3 has set the standard for “affordable flagships” and since its introduction with seen the likes of Honor, Xiaomi, Oppo, Alcatel, Realme and more follow a similar formula – with varying degrees of success.
In recent years, even the brand names have looked to take a leaf out of the OnePlus playbook, with handsets like the iPhone XR and Samsung Galaxy S10e making an appearance. The OnePlus is a premium handset without plunging into more cost. (with inputs from tech radar)