The 2014 HTC One or the HTC One (M8) as it is known was announced just a couple of hours ago by HTC. But with so many features being talked about during the event, it’s hard to keep note of what’s important and what’s not. So here’s a list of the top 5 features that should make the handset a very attractive proposition to potential buyers.

Camera

The Duo Camera of the new HTC One has been teased on several occasions in the past, but the manufacturer detailed its functioning today. The primary camera comes with a wide angle 4-megapixel sensor with a f/2.0 aperture size. Thanks to software and hardware optimization, this camera is able to focus on objects a lot faster (0.3 seconds).

The second 4-megapixel camera sensor on the back will work as a companion to the main sensor. This camera will allow you to make several changes to a photo after it has been captured and that includes UFocus which is somewhat reminiscent of the Far Focus and Near Focus feature from the Samsung Galaxy S5. There are several other customization options to pick from including bokeh, background blur, colorizing etc.

Design

This is perhaps one of the stand out features of the smartphone. HTC has gone with a 90% metal construction compared to 70% in last year’s One, so it’s certainly an improvement from the predecessor.

The smartphone literally screams of quality the moment you look at it, with the metal enclosure covering almost the entirety of the handset. There’s no plastic trimming on the sides this time around as it is all covered by one solid block of metal.

Storage Expansion

Another area where HTC has made impressive changes is with regards to storage. While its predecessor came fixed with a 32GB storage module inside, the new HTC One comes with a microSD card slot with the ability to add cards of up to 128GB. The smartphone will come with 16 or 32GB of onboard storage, so nothing has changed in that regard.

FitBit Compatibility

HTC has teamed up with FitBit to bring a wide range of fitness functions with the new HTC One. Users can choose the smartphone as their dedicated fitness tracker, thanks to its array of sensors, without having to rely on any additional hardware. However, they can always buy a FitBit tracker to get a detailed analysis of their daily fitness routine. Either way, this is a very beneficial feature for the customers.

Gesture Controls

The 2014 HTC One also comes with gesture controls much like what we’ve seen on the LG G2 and the recently announced LG G Pro 2. The handset comes with the double tap to wake function, which is quite nifty since the power button is located on the top of the handset and unreachable for a few people with smaller hands. Users can also unlock the phone into different apps by swiping on the screen in various directions, or long press the volume down button in landscape mode to launch the camera app for a quick shot.

In conclusion, we’re quite pleased with what HTC has come up with here and it could certainly prove to be one of the best handsets that we’ve come across all year. Some markets are getting the new HTC One (M8) immediately while the rest of the world markets will have to wait until April 11, which is also when the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z2 are expected to launch.