It was two years ago when Samsung decided to create a budget-friendly alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S3, dubbed Galaxy S3 Mini, followed by last year’s S4 Mini. Numerous other manufacturers have adopted this strategy of building mid-range devices that borrow the design and moniker of their more powerful counterparts.
As the majority of smartphone enthusiasts would let you know, last year HTC was one of those manufacturers borrowing a page from Samsung’s playbook, when it decided to create a “Mini” spin-off based on the fully-fledged HTC One (M7). As expected, the company is now planning a sequel, based on the recently launched HTC One M8.
While the handset in question has not been made official yet, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors confirming its existence. Referred to either as the “HTC One Mini 2″ or the “HTC One M8 Mini,” the smartphone in question seems to be getting ready for prime time. However, before that happens, we invite you to take a look at what the latest rumors and leaks have suggested so far.
HTC One Mini 2 / HTC One M8 Mini – Leak and Rumor Round-Up
First things first, let’s talk about the smartphone’s rumored hardware specifications. Back in early February, the famous “leakster” known as @evleaks hit Twitter with a list of specs, suggesting that the HTC One Mini 2 / M8 Mini will feature a 4.5 inch display with a resolution of 720 x 1280, a quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU clocked at 1.4 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage (this time expandable via microSD!)
The same source also revealed that the device should hit the market with Android 4.4.2 KitKat out of the box, sprinkled with the latest Sense 6.0 user interface on top. In addition, the smartphone will supposedly feature on-screen buttons same as the HTC One M8, and it will allegedly pack a 13 MP main camera, complemented by a 5 MP front-facing sensor.
Indeed, the One M8 Mini will apparently not take advantage of the dual-camera setup delivered by the more expensive model, something that was “confirmed” when an alleged One M8 Mini render surfaced on the blogosphere, showcasing a back panel that was lacking the Duo camera combo. The lack of a dual-camera setup has also been easily observed in a more recent leak, showcasing a higher quality HTC One Mini 2 render.
Speaking of leaked images, @evleaks has been the first to share fresh renders depicting said device. This time around, the One Mini 2 has been spotted in three main flavors: grey, silver and gold.
To make things even more interesting, the online publication known as Phone Arena has published what seems to be the “first real-life image” of the HTC One Mini 2. The handset appeared to feature a grey back panel, and the non-aluminum accents seem to have been “dipped” in yellow paint.
HTC One Mini 2 / One M8 Mini – Expected Availability
Back in March, the One M8 Mini has been spotted in the listings of a Swedish carrier known as Telia. The list included smartphones that offer support for HD Voice, and although the Mini 2 has been removed from the list since, screenshots remain and have traveled the blogosphere from one corner to the other.
Later in March, the U.K.-based publication known as 3G.co.uk has apparently been informed by “inside sources” that the HTC One M8 Mini will be launched in the U.K. sometime by the end of March. The source has a pretty accurate track record, previously predicting the arrival of the Sony Xperia E1 in the U.K.
As far as availability in the U.S. goes, earlier in April, @evleaks came to the rescue once again, when the leakster suggested that the One M8 Mini will be retailed by Verizon sometime in the foreseeable future.
While the price hasn’t been confirmed, it’s speculated that the handset will be offered at somewhere around $100 on-contract, especially given the $200 on-contract price-tag of the fully-fledged HTC One M8 flagship phone.
Since we’re already in May, the One Mini 2 seems to be just around the corner. More information is bound to surface soon, so stay tuned, and in the meantime feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Vlad Andrici is editor for gforgames.com and writes about technology issues. Follow Vlad on Google Plus.