Welcome to the Digital Retailer Editor’s Picks feature, honouring the best products of the year. Every day over the concluding weeks of 2013, we will recognise a great product from the digital categories as we build up to announce the Best Digital Product of 2013. The criteria for winning is a bit different from other awards programs in that we focus on innovation, saleability and the injection of value back into a category – you don’t win any awards for hitting amazing new price points!
Please enjoy the 2013 collection of Editor’s Picks winners and I welcome any feedback in the comment box below. We kick off our series with a smartphone…
HTC One
RRP $768
Arguably the best reviewed smartphone of 2013, the HTC One returned the Taiwanese manufacturer to its Desire-era zenith in terms of quality, if not sales. The metallic body has a premium feel while the unique ‘UltraPixel camera’ blew its rivals away. The only letdown is the tiresome software HTC overlays on Android.
Best Feature: The aluminium body makes for a smartphone you love to hold.
Here is how Digital Retailer described the HTC One at launch:
The updated Camera experience includes Full HD 1080p video recording on both the front and back cameras, as well a suite of photo editing tools for effects such as stop motion photos and object removal. The HTC Zoe feature also takes 3 second video-photos that give users the options of selecting the best part of film to capture in a photo, or to select individual faces and poses from different points in time.
HTC has also brought two speakers to the front of the device to create sound optimised for social listening and video sharing, known as BoomSound. Also in the entertainment vein, the brand has added an infra-red sensor to the device to allow users to choose channels from their smartphone and interact with their television, a feature known as Sense TV.