The HTC One M8 Windows Phone is a fantastic device. It's what I use daily. I chose the HTC over the Lumia when it was time for a new phone and I'm glad I did. The weight is just right, the features are plentiful, the screen is bright and clear, the processor is speedy. It's just a solid unit. The unfortunate thing, though, is that when I test new phones to review, it usually puts them at a disadvantage. I'm testing a couple new phones right now that I'll write about soon, and it's tough to be completely objective and not compare them to the M8. These yet-to-be-released phones are good, one of them maybe even great, but they still pale to the M8.
That said, I've been curious about what HTC has planned for the M8, particularly since Windows 10 for phones will ship sometime this year – possibly in the summer. Microsoft has promised to deliver a new Windows 10 Build for a stack of Lumia models this Friday, but so far, the company has been keen to focus solely on its own smartphone brand for testing Windows 10 bits. Those that have chosen non-Microsoft hardware are being left out, despite being part of the Windows Insider group. I realize this can't really be helped, considering the company probably has a multitude of Lumias on-hand with which to test. But, you have to think that the other Windows smartphone suppliers are testing Windows 10 already. Those handsets I'm testing now, the company will release them endorsed as Windows 10 ready.
So, will the M8 get Windows 10? It's still unclear.
A question was posed to HTC on Twitter yesterday by Diego Serrano: Will the One M8 for Windows get Windows 10 in the same timeframe your Android updates are delivered?
HTC's response?
@diegoserrano4 Yes, as we'll provide software updates to the HTC One M8 for Windows for 2 years after its launch.
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) April 8, 2015
After reflection, it's still difficult to tell what HTC is actually saying. The HTC M8 released in August of 2014, which clearly puts it in the proper timeframe for an upgrade when Windows 10 releases this year. But, HTC didn't say the M8 would get Windows 10. It just said that it has promised software updates for 2 years after a handset launch.
There's a reason I'm nitpicking HTC's statement. Those that own the HTC 8X device know all too well what I'm talking about. HTC promised Windows Phone 8.1 would rollout for the 8X. The only way to get 8.1 on the 8X was to join the Developer's Preview and install it, which is unsupported by the hardware manufacturer. I know because we still have an 8X here. It was my smartphone choice before the M8 and I handed it down to my youngest son with the promise he could use Cortana.
So, will the M8 get Windows 10? It's still tough to tell. And, the 8X fiasco could be why HTC provided such a murky, non-direct answer. The company simply doesn't want to publicly commit.
