HTC One (M8) Developer and Unlocked Versions Announced

HTC is making darn sure to cover all its bases. The company on Tuesday announced a Developer Edition and unlocked version of its brand new HTC One (M8) flagship. And, oh yeah, there’s also a Google Play Edition, too, giving customers plenty of options right out of the gate. HTC will offer both versions of the (M8) through HTC.com for $649—that’s actually a bit cheaper than the GPE, so pick your poison.

If you have a wandering spirit or simply love tinkering with cutting edge hardware, HTC is granting every mobile lovers wish. Otherwise the devices are similar in that they have the same specs and functionality as the retail versions, you’ll just have a little more flexibility to do with them as you wish. The benefit of having the M8 unlocked, obviously, is being able to take it across the world and taste test every carrier. The Developer Edition will come with an locked bootloader, giving folks the opportunity to tinker away.

After months of leaks and rumors, HTC on Tuesday announced its much anticipated HTC One (M8) smartphone. Although it was just announced, it is already giving the Galaxy S5 a run for its money, sporting a Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz (in the U.S.), a new Duo camera arrangement, 2GB of RAM, 2600mAh battery and an improved design that’s now 90-percent aluminum. It also features a 5-inch 1080p screen, Sense 6 and android 4.4.

If the carrier versions don’t tickle your fancy, head on over to HTC’s website to check out the less shackled iterations.