Upcoming HTC Phones 2014: Plastic-Clad HTC One (E8) Is Official, Gets 'Regular' 13MP BSI Shooter, Lighter Build

For the past weeks, there have been rumors of upcoming HTC phones in 2014 that would cater to a more budget conscious group of the market. 

One of the more successful HTC handsets recently was the Desire 816 which launched a couple of months ago. However, for people who prefer the stylish look of the One M8, there were no options yet - until today. 

According to a report by GSM Arena, the Android-powered handset has just been announced today and should be available in China this month. 

Previously known as the HTC One M8 Ace, the smartphone is actually named HTC One (E8) in its announcement earlier today. And just like what we have read from previous rumors and reports, the Android phone gets the same design as the One M8, but it gets a plastic cover instead of a metal one. 

Of course, that gives it a number of advantages over its more expensive sibling. In the report, the One E8 is slated to be lighter than the M8, though it should be a little thicker due to the polycarbonate plastic's thickness. 

Most importantly though, the HTC One E8 will be several hundred dollars cheaper than its flagship sibling. This is certainly a great deal for consumers who want to enjoy the latest HTC hardware and software. 

The new HTC-developed smartphone will pack identical specs as the One M8 including the Snapdragon 801 chipset, quad-core CPU, 5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory. 

However, the One E8 gets an 'downgrade' in terms of rear camera, only getting 13MP compared to the not-so-impressive 4MP Duo UltraPixel snappers of the HTC flagship. In front of the device still rests the 5MP camera for selfies and video calls. 

We'll wait for more details about availability and pricing in the coming days.