The HTC One A9, one of the first smartphones that will come out of the box powered by Google's latest mobile operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, will soon be available in the United States through the physical and online stores of Sprint and AT&T.
The release of the smartphone to Sprint and AT&T will mark the end of the promotional pricing of the HTC One A9. Previously priced at $399.99, the smartphone's special SIM Unlocked edition will now command a $499.99 price through the smartphone manufacturer. The version allows users to use any SIM by a compatible network, switch carriers any time and unlock the smartphone's bootloader without causing the device's warranty to be voided.
HTC allows customers to choose the carrier they want to use on their smartphone so that they would be sent unlocked versions compatible with the carrier, with the choices currently being Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile. A Verizon-compatible HTC One A9, however, may not come at all, according to latest reports.
Users will also receive UH OH Protection if they purchase the HTC One A9 directly from HTC, which entitles the customer to one replacement for free within 12 months of buying the device due to water damage, a cracked screen, or a request to switch carriers. HTC One A9 devices purchased through the manufacturer will also receive a 6-month unlimited usage of Google Play Music and access to all four color choices.
In comparison, customers that would be purchasing the HTC One A9 through AT&T will have to pay $520, which is $20 more than the retail price of the smartphone if purchased through HTC. In addition, the device will be locked with AT&T, and the customer will not have all the perks that HTC will provide to customers that purchased the unlocked versions directly from the company.
Sprint, on the other hand, has the full price of the HTC One A9 at a whopping $696, almost $200 more than the full price of the unlocked version of the device. Customers can choose to pay through Sprint's Easy Pay plan of $29 per month for 24 months, which could be lighter for some users compared to an outright $499 payment, but the markup is still very significant. There is also the option of $199 for the device, with a two-year contract.
AT&T, meanwhile, also offers the HTC One A9 for $99 with a two-year contract or $17.34 a month for 30 months.
Purchasing from Sprint and AT&T also only allows users to choose from the Carbon Gray and Opal Silver color options, while purchasing from HTC will allow users to purchase gold and purple HTC One A9 devices, which will be coming soon.
The HTC One A9 was supposed to begin shipping on Nov. 10. However, HTC is delaying the release of the smartphone in North America.
