HTC CEO Peter Chou shows the new HTC One M8 phone during a launch event in New York March 25, 2014.
HTC CEO Peter Chou shows the new HTC One M8 phone during a launch event in New York March 25, 2014. The HTC One M8 has a 5-inch display, slightly larger than its predecessor, as well as improved camera technology, a faster processor and updated software, the company said. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

HTC launched its new flagship smartphone, the HTC One A9, at an event in the New York City. Apart from the newly unveiled Nexus devices, the One A9 is the only handset that comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box with HTC Sense on top.

HTC One A9 with 32 GB in-built storage and 3 GB of RAM is available for pre-order on its own online Store with a price tag of $399.99 (AU$550). HTC has introduced brilliant colours, including Deep Garnet, Opal Silver and Carbon Grey and Topaz Gold, in an effort to freshen-up its lineup. The HTC One A9 features a super-thin metal frame with an elegant finish.

The handset with a 5-inch full HD AMLOED display with 1080p resolution is the first to be powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 617 chip coupled with four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5GHz and four A53 clocked at 1.2GHz. The all metal unibody handset is protected by 2.5D Gorilla Glass 4, reports GSM Arena.

The company also confirmed via its official Twitter account the handset will get Android updates within 15 days after the Google Nexus series. The main camera packs a 13 MP sensor along with optical image stabilisation, RAW capturing and stabilised time-lapsed video recording capabilities.

It comes with either 16 GB or 32 GB of storage that can be expanded up to 1 TB or 2 TB via a microSD slot. The HTC One A9 comes packed with 2 GB and 3 GB RAM options. The device houses a 2,150 mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0 that ensure super fast charging.

As reported by The Verge, the 16 GB model with 2GB of RAM will soon be launched in the UK. In the meantime, Sprint is also taking pre-orders for HTC One A9.

The device is available for $199.99 (AU$275) with two-year contract or at $29 (AU$40) monthly installment for 24 months via Easy Pay scheme.

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