HTC unveils One max phablet, comes with 5.9-inch screen and fingerprint scanner

Within days of launching the mini version of its flagship smartphone One, HTC has now unveiled a super-sized version of the same handset. The new device, christened HTC One max, sports a 5.9 inch display, which is 1.2 inch larger than the 4.7 inch display of the original One. In comparison, the One mini sports a 4.3 inch screen.

Apart from a larger screen, the HTC One Max also comes with a built-in fingerprint scan feature (taking a cue from the competition, are we?). The recently introduced Apple's iPhone 5s also sports a fingerprint scanner. While the iPhone's home button doubles up as a fingerprint scanner (in the iPhone 5s), HTC's scanner is located on the back of the device. However, apart from locking or unlocking the screen, HTC's fingerprint scanner also allows users to quickly launch up to three favourite applications by assigning an individual finger to each.

Here is a look at the specifications of the device.

This one features a 5.9 inch full HD capacitive touchscreen display (1920×1080 pixel resolution) with 373 pixels per inch density and runs on the latest Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) operating system with HTC Sense 5.5 user interface. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 1.7 GHz quad-core processor and has 2 GB RAM.

In terms of internal memory, users can choose between 16 and 32 GB models. The internal memory of the device can be further expanded an additional 64 GB with a microSD card. HTC is also providing 50 GB of additional free Google Drive online storage.

The phablet has a 4 megapixel HTC UltraPixel camera (with BSI sensor and) with LED flash that can record full high definition videos (1080p) at 30 frames per second. The camera includes an f/2.0 aperture lens and a sensor with UltraPixel that the company claims gathers 300 per cent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors, providing good low-light performance. Plus, it has a 2 MP secondary front-facing camera that can record full HD videos as well.

On the connectivity front, the device has Infrared, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G (depending on the region). It also has a microUSB port and microSD card slot, a 3,300 mAh battery and comes with A-GPS support. HTC One Max measures 164.5mm x 82.5mm x 10.3mm and weighs 217 gm. The device has a zero-gap aluminium unibody, Stereo FM radio with RDS and Near Field Communication (NFC) and will be available in glacial silver colour.

Additional features include:

HTC BlinkFeed: A live stream of relevant information such as social updates, entertainment and lifestyle updates, news and photos on the home screen itself. It aggregates the latest content in one place, without the need to jump between multiple apps. The HTC One max's Sense 5.5 upgrade comes with a more social, personalised HTC BlinkFeed that can be further refined by customisable topic categories and new integration with premium content providers including Instagram and Google+. Up to 120 articles can also be downloaded for offline viewing.

HTC BoomSound: Introduces front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier. Also, the BeatsAudio integration is enabled across the entire experience (listening to music, watching a YouTube video or playing a game).

HTC Zoe: Brings special moments to life in three-second videos, enabling a range of advanced editing capabilities and creative flexibility.

The company is also offering an optional HTC Power Flip Case, which comes with a 1,150 mAh battery expansion and offers both protection and extra juice when you need it most.

While an India pricing and launch date are not available as of now, according to an official release, the phablet will be made available to consumers by the end of this month. Launched at Rs 36,790, the HTC One mini is now available for as low as Rs 35,054 on a number of online stores. In comparison, the HTC One is available for Rs 42,700. Taking a cue from the way the company has priced its siblings, don't be surprised if the device is launched with an over Rs 50,000 price tag.