HTC One XL – Australia’s new flagship Android
Filed under: 4G, Android, HTC, One XL, Smartphone
Over the years I’ve seen a lot of new mobile phones launched into the Australian market. Often phones will excel in one area (for instance looks, performance, features or operating software) but could be improved slightly in another.
UPDATE: June 01. Following stronger than expected demand the pre-order offer has closed.
So when a phone comes along that excels at everything you know it’s going to be an absolute winner.
The new HTC One XL smartphone is a phone that excels at everything — it’s simply one of the best smartphones you’ll see this year.
For starters HTC One XL is the first smartphone in the HTC One series to feature ultra-fast 4G connectivity providing download speeds that are up to five times faster than other HTC One models when in 4G coverage areas. 4G coverage is currently available in capital CBDs and selected metropolitan and regional locations. For details on 4G coverage locations, visit: www.telstra.com/mobilebbcoverage
It’s also the first in Australia with the new S4 dual core processor from Qualcomm. For the hardcore techies out there the S4 chip is one of the first to be built using a 28nm process which improves energy efficiency. It’s also incredibly zippy. The combination of processor and Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating software means the XL offers remarkably fast web browsing, smooth video playback and effortless multitasking.
The HTC XL is also Telstra’s first smartphone to feature Beats AudioTM by Dr. Dre. The advanced software delivers authentic studio-quality sounds whether a customer is listening to their favourite music, watching YouTube™ or playing a game.
The Camera on the HTC One XL takes only 0.7 seconds from start up to image capture and features a rapid fire continuous shooting mode which lets you select the best image from up to 99. You can also shoot high definition 1080p video and capture high resolution photos at the same time by tapping the screen – you can even capture pictures when playing back video.
You can pre-order HTC One XL from today until midnight 4 June AEST for shipping of approved orders from 1 June. Pre-orders can be placed by heading to www.telstra.com/htcone.
If you’ve been waiting for the phone that’s good at everything — wait no longer.
Pricing
Customers who pre-order their HTC One XL online on a Freedom® Connect Plan will receive a set of Beats™ Solo™ High Performance On-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk™ (valued at $279) with their purchase.
Consumer customers can purchase the HTC One XL on the $59 Freedom® Connect Plan with a $6 handset repayment per month (after using an included MRO Bonus), with $550 worth of included calls and MMS, unlimited SMS and 1.5GB of data, all to standard Australian numbers (excludes use overseas) each month. Min cost over 24 months is $1,560.
Business customers can purchase HTC One XL for $3 per month (after using their MRO bonus) on the $90 Business Mobile Advantage plan for 24 months, which includes unlimited standard national SMS, unlimited MessageBank® diversion and retrieval in Australia, and free national voice calls to eligible mobiles on the same account in Australia. 2GB of data is also included to use in Australia each month, which can be shared with other eligible services on the same account. Min cost over 24 months is $2,232.
For details on 4G coverage locations, visit: www.telstra.com/mobilebbcoverage.
beauty, great inclusion of the beats headset
but how do we know if our order is one of the first 300? i have placed my order, but the online chat guys couldnt help, and didnt think that the guys over the phone would be able to either?
dont count on getting a free headset, i was told over the phone by jb hifi that i would be getting the headset with my new phone, drove 2 hours to the store to pick up new phone and when i get there they tell me im not getting the headset because i am still using my old number, and you only get a new headset if you are connecting a new number to telstra they said i can buy the headset for $100 cheaper than rrp. what a load of crap im still paying the same amount of money wether its a new number or keeping my number so i was very pissed off. lesson to be learnt there is always a catch when they say free headset they really mean we lied just to get you to get a phone through our store.
But only 16gb memory with no option of expansion??
I’m pretty sure the website clearly says 32GB of memory. Sure, no expansion, but are you blaming Telstra or HTC for that decision? HTC’s One series — like Sony’s Xperia handsets — are following the successful iPhone model, proving that expandable storage is not quite as important as the geek masses claim. I’d rather they just build it into the phone, and then I don’t have to worry about it OR have to purchase additional storage for $100.
no, its got 32gb
http://www.telstra.com.au/latest-offers/htc-one-xl/index.htm
http://www.htc.com/au/smartphones/htc-one-xl/#specs
Telstra’s One XL will have 32GB of onboard storage. To my knowledge this is the ONLY XL variant worldwide (I’m including the X from AT&T & Rogers in Nth America in this) to have the 32GB.
Woot! I’m sooo there. Been waiting to upgrade my phone since march.
Will it have the “blue tick” for rural coverage? What is the battery life like?
Hi David
There’s a blue tick label on the box. Only had it 2 hours so I can’t report on battery life just yet….
Pricing still seems to be a mystery…
In spite of Andrew’s post above, the business support & sales people have no idea of plans or pricing, just confirmed that “this handset is not available for business customers at this time and no pricing has been announced”. Also “It may be available some time next month”.
OK, so I can buy it outright and use my existing plan then, right?….. WRONG.
It also seems that there is no “outright purchaes” price announced at this time.
So, where, when, and how much for business purchasers?????
Hi Neil. Thanks for the feedback. Let me find out for you. Brendan.
Brendan,
Apparently Business pricing was released yesterday. Check the pricing schedule for 5 June 2012 and let us know your findings …
Cheers
solly
Hi Sally. Check the Media Release for the business customers details.
cheers Brendan, i await with virtual checquebook poised
Just sent you an email Neil.
I’m in the same situation as Neil, I’m looking to purchase several of these and our Telstra account rep is telling my the phone won’t even be released until end of July?
Telstra releasing this handset is a really good sign for the future of this carrier. I’m sure they have done really well with previous HTC Android handsets, and this is easily the best ever. I have a Windows Phone contract up in March next year, and I’m considering early termination just to get my hands on the HTC One XL sooner rather than later. I’ve played with the various HTC One X handsets on display around Sydney, and for once I don’t feel bludgeoned by HTC’s Sense UI — it’s a lot more natural & intuitive.
Hi Brendan,
Thanks for your response to Solly which I assume was also directed at me. Unfortunately we are on a corporate plan and buy all our phones outright so the press release doesn’t cover our circumstance.
Cheers,
J
It states pre-orders open until 4th June, yet pre-order page has been removed? No Beats™ Solo™ High Performance On-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk™ (valued at $279) left???
I’m also after the buy outright price. My (rather huge) company’s Telstra corp plan is set up for BYO devices so it’s buy outright for me. I know I can get 16Gig Asia imports at really good prices but would rather get Telstra’s 32Gig version. Our Telstra rep has replied with ‘we don’t stock that device’ sigh. so tell me … how much?
Hi Rob,
HTC One XL will be available to purhcase outright for $744.
Cheers, Peter
Mobile products
Sold. I’m glad didn’t pop on the 16MB imports.
Unfortunately the link to pre-order does not seem to allow any ordering, it’s just a static ‘coming soon’ advert.
When I phoned Telstra today I was told that this was an old link. That all the stock was sold and so they were not accepting any new orders.
The local shop said they were expecting a delivery on Tuesday next week.
Cheers, Stuart
What happened to the pre-sale? Was advertised to be available for pre-sale up until 4th or 5th or June, and now that page is gone and the pre-sale is over after how many days? 1 or 2?
This is so frustrating, why announce its availability and then have such limited stock that customers can’t even buy it? Typical Telstra so disorganised and mis-managed.
I am in the same boat as Neil and James. My company typically purchases phones outright and sticks everyone on the same corporate plan. When will I be able to get our purchasing department to buy one?
Cheers
Greg
Hey Brendan,
Have you had any chance to find out answers for us?
I still haven’t had luck finding anyone who can tell me how to buy this phone outright, or any repayment option to attach it to existing business plans.
Even the advertised availability to buy it on the mobile advantage plan seems only to exist on the press release.
Thanks in advance,
..Neil
Just awaiting a respose guys
So, the worth of preregistering interest is a bit like a lottery. I preregistered with Telstra for this and the One X, received an email on Tuesday offering me the option to pre order the One XL, I read the small print, “Pre-Order offer only available until Midnight, 4 June 2012, AEST unless withdrawn earlier by Telstra” no mention of a 300 limit, seems that the marketing people got it wrong if they thought 300 units across Australia would satisfy people’s desire! Neither did I expect the offer to be finished by 1000am Fri 01 Jun – the first time I attempted to log in, tried plenty of times since, but reckon I’ve lost out – damn my procrastination on Tuesday/Wednesday….!
I had a reply from the online customer service team, they are sorry for my inconvenience, new stock will be coming in and the offer will be made again – with the headphones? though they know not when…you would’ve thought that if 1000 people pre registered their interest then the marketing people would’ve made 1000 available, if that number didn’t get purchased then send them out to the shops, I’m pretty sure that they would go.
Their competitors have been selling the HTC One X for over a month, nearly two and Telstra still haven’t got the One XL fully available. I suppose when you effectively hold a monopoly on the best service you can afford to continually dangle carrots in front of people!
I’ve just tried a One X on a competitors network, found the phone to be great, but the network still way too patchy for such a great phone, so back to Telstra I come like a puppy with it’s tail between it’s legs only to discover that the phone appears to be limited edition…one day the other networks will catch up and give telstra some real competition, until then we’ll have to try and catch the carrot!!!
Is the mobile available in the silver colour in addition to the black?
I am also on a business plan and have been waiting months for news on this phone. When I saw the release last week, I contacted my rep and he had no news – it was only released for consumer plans. A few days later he contacted me and said the business plans were released and I should be able to get the phone on a $79 Maximiser plan- (Nothing on the Telstra Web Site for business customers – only for consumer). Now looking on the Telstra website, there seems to be no mention of the phone either on the consumer plans or business plans. What’s going on? Either Telstra has the phone or it doesn’t. I am a loyal Telstra customer and wish Telstra would get their act together and put “useful” and accurate information on their website.
Hi George,
Sorry about the confusion around the HTC One XL, we had a pre-order for consumer customers online and there should be more news around the phone’s availability today. You can stay tuned to all the latest Telstra news here – Telstra Media Centre
- Sunil
Hi George,
I think you will find the HTC One XL online as of 5 minutes ago. Let me know how you go.
http://www.telstra.com.au/business-enterprise/business-products/mobiles/htc/index.htm
Cheers,
Sunil
Yes it’s really poor. I registered my interest back when the HTC One was first announced and Telstra had a page devoted to saying it was coming and you could register for updates. I have never received a single email notifying me of any developments and that page simply became a “register your interest in *any* of our products”. Now the phone is *supposedly* released and even still I have never received an update for my original registration.
Hi George and everyone else,
I got one!!
Walzed in to the local T store (Chermside Qld) at 9:01 and there was another guy ahead of me, looking and playing with it. I just asked if I could buy one outright, and after some discussion they said yes. I then asked about business plans, and I could “restart” my $79 mobile maximiser BYO (part-way through atm) as the equivalent $99 plan (with phone supplied) and there would be a $6 per month additional payment required for this particular handset.
So, in spite of the lack of information etc from all sources, it IS available for business customers and it IS available on a variety of plans, not just what was listed in the press release.
..Neil
Has anybody received their pre-order yet? Hoping mine comes today lol.
It’s real – writing this from mine! $744 outright from t life shop in Chatswood Westfield. Finally!
Hi Rob,
I’ve just ordered mine! Let me know how you go with battery life and any tips!
Will just purchase one outright when i go to Southeast Asia since most phones are unlocked there, then go BYO under $99 FC plan. It comes with free beats headphones as well.
Hi,
I’m joining Telstra after being a Vodafone customer for three years. I just wanted to write to say that the whole online order experience has been nothing short of disappointing. I ordered within the first 2-3 hours of the online offer, and got a bill within 30 mins. It is now 5 June and I have no indication of when the phone will be delivered.
What is even more annoying is that the phone is now available in the shops, so I am seriously questioning why someone who has gone to the effort of preordering is now at a disadvantage, as I desperately need the new phone as fast as possible and that was the whole point of pre-ordering.
Telstra – I understand the whole two different channels piece, but you really shouldn’t be selling in the shops until you’ve met ALL your pre-order deliveries!
A very disappointed (new) customer. Complete lack of communication from your online team.
Sandeep G
Sorry, should point out this is for the HTC One XL (as the thread implies) and that I ordered on the 29th of May. So it’s been 5 business days so far (when you said 3-5 business days) and I have no indication of delivery when I could walk into a Telstra shop and pick one up now.
(Again); a very frustrated customer.
Hi Sandeep,
I am very sorry to hear about your experience, I hope you get the phone very soon and I have passed on your feedback to the relevant teams.
Thank you,
Sunil
Hi Sandeep,
I have done a bit of digging and I believe we have found your order as there was a slight issue in our backend systems with matching names. Did you get an email yesterday at around 6:15pm yesterday?
Thanks,
Sunil
Still waiting for Bundaberg T store to get their delivery!! Am I wrong in thinking that all stores should actually have the stock in store and ready for an advertised launch date?? Especially *annoyed* considering telstra customer service advised me I was better off getting from a store than preorder online.
When will the white version be available? I looked at the grey inshore today it didn’t look as good as the white One X currently at Optus and Vodafone . Come on Telstra why do you limit the choice for us?
Wes, I totally agree! I am really hoping Telstra release the white version of the XL (and soon!) as it just doesn’t look as good in the dark grey.
Sorry I have to disagree about the white. My wife has a white sensation xl (essentially the same phone) and side by side I think my grey looks much slicker.
I’m just wondering when Telstra will release Jellybean on the 1xl?
I agree with the others, I really only want to purchase the white one. I won’t buy the other one. and if telstra won’t stock it looks like will buy an import. Telstra would make so much more money on the white one seems high in demand, I’m surprised they aren’t jumping on the bandwagon..!
I ask a rep yesterday about it and they said “I don’t think they make the htc one xl in white” I’m like umm.. yeah they do just doesn’t seem to be in Oz yet. and then I went to another telstra store, he went and looked to see if they had a white. and he said apparently it only comes in grey/black
ugh. no thanks.. please!! stock the white htc ONE XL!!