HTC makes it a habit to tout the all-metal body on the HTC One M8 every chance it gets, and rightly so, considering that metallic unibody design is one of the biggest attractions of the company’s flagship smartphone. However, a new report suggests that in pursuit of a lower price tag, HTC is working on a plastic variant of the One M8, one that will have a lesser build but will otherwise carry the exact same hardware. The report suggests that by replacing metal with plastic, HTC will be able to lower the price of the device to $483, which is considerably lower than the $853 price tag of the standard One M8. However, the fact that the report also mentions that the internals will remain the same contradicts the difference in price, as the hardware on the One M8 isn’t exactly something you’d be able to buy for such a low price (well, unless HTC is taking a cue from Chinese manufacturers and is willing to forego profits for higher sales.) Of course, reports like these aren’t always accurate, so it’s best to take everything with the proverbial pinch of salt. It’s possible that HTC is working on a high-end device with a plastic construction, but the probability of it being a handset with the same specifications as the One M8 is minuscule at best.
