HTC launches One Mini 2, a little brother to brand's flagship

The HTC One Mini 2, a mini-sized sibling of HTC's latest flagship phone, which was launched on Thursday, is long on looks, with the same premium build quality of its big brother, but comes up short on specs.

The-HTC-One-mini-2-Photo-AFP

The HTC One Mini 2, a mini-sized sibling of HTC's latest flagship phone, which was launched on Thursday, is long on looks, with the same premium build quality of its big brother, but comes up short on specs.

While it has a nice 326ppi, 4.5-inch display, which actually makes it easier to use or to slide into an inside jacket pocket, it is essentially a mid-range phone -- albeit a very good looking one -- dressed up as a premium product.

As some journalists have already pointed out, HTC didn't name the phone the One M8 Mini. By going with the name HTC One Mini 2, savvy phone shoppers will be aware that the new device is based more closely on the last 'mini' handset rather than on the latest full-size flagship.

So, what is under the hood? It has a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a microSD Card slot for further memory expansion. Those specifications aren't bad, but they're very similar to those of the Motorola Moto G, which is marketed as a premium performance at an entry-level price.

However, when it comes to the camera, the Mini boasts a 13 megapixel rear shooter and a massive 5-megapixel front-facing camera for those focused on selfies. That's pretty good, even by some phonemakers' premium standards.

And of course it has a very good battery, excellent front-facing stereo speakers and runs the latest version of Android right out of the box.

HTC isn't the only manufacturer to take this approach with a mini version in their range. Samsung and LG have both leveraged their flagship phones' branding in order to elevate a smaller, mid-spec phone into the realms of smartphone owner desire, and the company is simply following the trend.

However, Sony, struggling though the company is, has been very brave in this respect. It recently launched a mini version of the Xperia Z, which packed specifications and performance almost as good as its full-sized counterpart.

While HTC officially launched the handset Thursday, it won't be confirming pricing details until the phone goes on sale in Europe and Asia in a choice of three colors -- Gunmetal Gray, Glacial Silver and Amber Gold -- in June.