Pre-orders open for HTC One in UK, red version spotted
updated 11:47 am EST, Fri February 22, 2013
Carriers show expected shipping dates of March 15th
The HTC One has been made available to pre-order in the UK, ahead of an expected street date of March 15th. A number of carriers, including Vodafone and Three UK, have started to offer the flagship HTC device, with other retailers also offering an already-unlocked version for £510 ($780) including taxes. Another color of HTC One has also been revealed by the manufacturer.
Carriers offering the HTC One as a Pay As You Go device are charging around £480 ($730) including taxes, locked to the network. Though the £30 discount compared to the unlocked version from retailers such as Clove would be attractive to some users, it would usually be a requirement to pay towards an airtime credit at the time of purchase.
Customers buying the HTC One as part of a contract may end up getting a raw deal, depending on the contract's specifics. BGR noted that when compared to the 16GB iPhone 5 on an identical £33 ($50) per month contract for two years, the HTC One has a £100 ($150) upfront charge, whereas the iPhone 5 would not. Though not to the same levels, Three provide the iPhone 5 16GB on the One Plan for £36 ($55) per month with a £49 ($75) upfront cost, while the same plan for the HTC One pushes the initial charge up to £69 ($105).
A red version of the HTC One has also been spotted on the company's own website. Though no further details aside from the image were made available, Unwired View speculates that it could be a "limited edition" device exclusive to certain retailers or carriers.
