This is a 24kt Gold-plated HTC One. Valued at over $2500, this is actually the only gold-plated HTC One in North America.
The HTC One is available in aluminum, black and red -- but the gold option is a very limited item.
The full 24-carat gold plated HTC One will be given to two lucky winners in HTC's HTC in NYC contest.
There are a ton of gold or champagne colored smartphones on the market, but this HTC One is unique in that it's plated in actual 24kt gold, it isn't just coated in paint.
The color is big, bold and yellow. Unlike the more champagne tone of some other gold-colored smartphone, this looks very similar to an actual gold bar.
As with the Porsche Design P'9982 BlackBery, the only difference between a gold-plated HTC One and a regular model is its case. Everything else is exactly the same.
We were curious if the gold plating would weigh down the device. Although it is a smidge heavier than the standard aluminum HTC One, the gold plating didn't have a discernible impact.
HTC says that the gold plating shouldn't interfere with the radios inside the phone, meaning it can actually be used as a regular phone.
Being plated with 24-karat gold doesn't mean that the HTC One is finger-print proof. In our limited handling of the device, we noticed that the real-gold finish was a bit of a finger-print magnet.
Fortunately you can clean it up with a soft cloth. The only thing to keep in mind is that gold is a soft metal, so it can be scuffed and dinged quite easily.
We were able to take pictures of the 24kt gold HTC One alongside a standard aluminum HTC One and an HTC One in red.
You can see how much the gold color really pops when it's put beside the standard aluminum device. The silver appears white in contrast.
Apple and Samsung may have gold-colored smartphones but HTC has upped the ante with phones plated in actual gold. Back in October, HTC UK released five limited edition 18-karat-gold plated HTC One devices, selling for £2,750 ($4,416).
Now, HTC USA is getting in on the gilded trend with a 24-karat gold version of the HTC One, valued at $2,500. Before you start saving your pennies, it's important to know that this phone is very exclusive. In fact, we photographed the only gold HTC One in North America at HTC's offices in New York City. Furthermore, HTC is giving away just two of these devices in an HTC in NYC contest that runs through the New Year.
See also: Porsche Design BlackBerry: The Most Beautiful Phone No One Will Buy
While handling this super-limited edition 24-carat gold HTC One, I couldn't help but be struck by its color. Real gold has a yellow hue which makes it distinct and unique from other pure metals. Compared to the more champagne nature of my gold iPhone 5S, real gold definitely carries a lot more bling.
As for the device itself, it's still just a standard HTC One — only with the appearance more akin to a gold bar and not a unibody smartphone. Everything else is exactly the same as a standard off-the-shelf model.
Even if you can't own a real gold HTC One, you're not completely out of luck. HTC is selling the HTC One in gold color (a la the iPhone 5S and the Middle East variant of the Samsung Galaxy S4) in Finland and other European markets on Dec. 12, 2013.
If you really are obsessed with making your smartphone gold, Goldgenie will plate your existing phone — or sell you a new phone plated in 24-carat gold for a few thousand dollars.
Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani
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