In a market dominated by Android and iOS, Windows has finally created an OS that can actually have some impact: Windows 8. More importantly, it has managed to sign up some big names including HTC, which has unveiled its plans to launch the Windows 8X. 

The sleek, eye-catching design and impressive specs gives this phone a lot of potential, and more importantly, more choice for consumers who are generally forced to choose between iOS and Android.

Tech Specs

The Windows 8X by HTC features a 4.3” Super LCD 2 touch Screen with HD 720p resolution. Interestingly, the display will also feature Gorilla Glass 2, which is an improved version that is said to increase the durability and quality of the screen.

The top side features the 3.5mm audio jack and power/sleep button. The right side features the volume control button, micro-SIM tray and a dedicated camera button. While HTC 8X may look all sleek, it is actually a bit on the bulky side (132.35 x 66.2 x 10.12mm), which makes it thicker than most of its competitors including the HTC One X, Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5.

Equally important, is the fact that the device will be available in multiple colours, which is a nice change from the standard black or silver.

Underneath the hood, the phone features a Qualcomm S4 1.5Ghz, Dual-Core processor, backed up with 1GB RAM. The device does feature 16GB of internal memory; unfortunately, there is no SD card capacity, which might be less attractive to users who generally store a lot of data or media on their devices.

The camera itself doesn’t break any new boundaries and is a standard 8MP. However, HTC does have a good reputation and it has not restrained itself with this device. The camera also features a F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens, 1080p video recording and a dedicated HTC ImageChip. The secondary camera features a 2.1MP.

The device also includes the standard suite of sensors : G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor. In addition, it also features a number of other connectivity features like Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth 2.1.

Interface

I think it is fair to say that consumers now price their interface more than the piece of hardware since the user-experience depends mostly on the OS. Windows 8 is revolutionary in the sense that it was designed from scratch to accommodate portable devices like tablets and smartphones.

Obviously, the company hopes to appeal to users who are also big fans of the Windows OS in general and love using their MS apps.

This is especially true for business users who do a lot of work on Microsoft. The new Metro interface and custom designed apps, including the traditional Microsoft services will help Microsoft carve out a place for itself in the market. The New Windows 8 has already got a lot of rave reviews so there is a lot to be excited about.

Verdict

Even if this doesn’t displace Android or iOS as the best phone on the market, I would still be impressed because it provides a little more choice in an increasingly stale market. The Windows 8X will also certainly appeal to professional and business people who do a lot of work with Microsoft.

There is also the added advantage of being able to streamline work and this will appeal to many IT administrators. At the end of the day, I am not sure how many people will be willing to ditch their beloved iPhones or Android devices for the new Window 8X (or any other Windows 8 smartphone) but I do know there will be enough of them to make it a success. 

Review by Navam Niles