The Butterfly 2 is the third device in HTC’s Butterfly series and the nicest yet.
Announced today for Japan and East Asia, the device follows in the footsteps (or wing flaps?) of the original Butterfly and Butterfly s, two devices that combined an attractive plastic build with the high-end specifications and cool features of the One series.
The Butterfly 2 is an interesting combination, mixing the specs and features of the M8 with the curved plastic build of the E8. Actually, the Butterfly 2’s spec sheet is better than the M8 in some areas, including the all-important camera.
The Butterfly 2 packs a Duo Camera like the One (M8), but with a high-res 13MP sensor, instead of the 4MP offered by the One. You still get the depth sensor on the back, so you can enjoy the selective focusing and 3D tricks, if that’s what floats your boat. But if you just want large, detailed shots, the 13MP sensor is arguably a better choice than the Ultrapixel camera of the metallic flagship.
In another upgrade, the Butterfly 2 is water resistant, with an IP rating of 57. There are no unsightly flaps covering ports – HTC found a way to seal off the sensitive components inside the device without spoiling the Butterfly’s appearance.
The battery is slightly larger than on the M8, at 2,700 mAh, and HTC claims the BoomSound speakers were also upgraded to deliver 25 percent more volume. The enhancements extend to the software components of the audio stack, which now include features from audio company JBL.
Other specifications are the same with the One (M8), including the Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 and 32GB storage options (expandable), 5-inch Full HD display, and Sense 6. See the complete spec sheet here.
The Butterfly 2 will be available in red, blue, and white starting in September. In Japan, the device will be known as HTC J butterfly HTL23 and will be sold through carrier KDDI. Unfortunately, like its predecessors, the Butterfly 2 will be confined to a handful of markets in South and East Asia: Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. The original Butterfly was eventually released in some European markets, and in the US as the Droid DNA, but the signs are not good for that to happen with the Butterfly 2.
Show Press Release
Introducing the Newest Member of the HTC Butterfly Family
Allow us to formally introduce you to the newest member in the HTC Butterfly family – the all new “HTC J butterfly HTL23,” available through KDDI in Japan. This beautiful device will also go by the name of “HTC Butterfly 2,” available through Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan, CSL in Hong Kong, and a number of other carriers throughout South Asia.
Packed with the latest HTC Sense 6 experience, HTC Duo Camera for advanced imaging, and an intuitiveMotion Launch advanced sensor, the new HTC Butterfly 2 delivers an unparalleled smartphone experience.
“Our consumers always pursue perfection. Therefore, we chose the partner that we know will offer the best smartphones in the market,” said Takashi Tanaka, President, KDDI. “Since the HTC J series was released, it has become the most popular phone in our product portfolio.”
The HTC Butterfly 2 puts state-of-the-art photography technology in your hand. The smartphone comes equipped with a Duo Camera that features a 13MP camera, a dual flash, and Full 1080p HD Video Recording, producing incredible images and rich, high-quality video. A 5MP front-facing camera also captures superior quality photos, taking beautiful selfies with ease.
The Duo Camera boasts a depth sensor in addition to the main HTC 13MP camera, capturing detailed depth information from a scene and enabling a range of beautiful and creative effects that allow you to do more with your images than ever before.
“HTC Butterfly 2 follows HTC’s iconic design and globally acclaimed user experience,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. “Its elegant appearance and fantastic performance will certainly provide consumers with the best experience ever.”
The Butterfly 2 comes equipped with the latest HTC BoomSound technology, creating an immersive, powerful, crystal-clear sound with rich tones from bass to treble. Delivering sound that is 25% louder than the HTC One, without compromising quality, HTC Butterfly 2 has dual frontal stereo speakers with a new amplifier, redesigned speaker chambers and a tailored audio profile for a truly high definition experience.
And it gets better – through our collaboration with HARMAN, HTC J butterfly HTL23 / HTC Butterfly 2 handsets feature “LiveStage™ Signal Processing Technology1”, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and comes bundled with exclusively designed JBL in-ear-headphones in Japan. Designed for high-resolution quality, the headphones let you enjoy vivid sound similar to if you were to hear it in person.
HTC Butterfly 2 will be available in the Asian market starting with Taiwan on September 2nd. It will also be sold through major wireless carriers and retailers in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. For more availability information about the HTC J butterfly HTL23, please check with your local carrier in Japan.