After being spotted on the HTC China website, One (E8) has now been officially announced by the company. According to HTC, the new smartphone will first be released in China and select unnamed markets this month and will be arriving in other countries later.

HTC One (E8) is a plastic variant of One (M8) and comes with almost the same specifications apart from the rear camera and the absence of IR blaster.  It will be released in Polar White, Electric Crimson, Maldives Blue, and Misty Gray colour options.

“The HTC One (M8) sets a new smartphone standard and now we’re taking it in another exciting direction. Combining style and substance, the HTC One (E8) represents the incredible experience people expect from an HTC One device with a look and feel that’s unlike anything else out there today. If you’re looking for the best flagship smartphone experience, but want to stand out from the crowd, this is the phone for you,” said HTC’s CEO Peter Chou.

There is no word on the pricing but it will be lower than One (M8).

Update: HTC China has revealed that One (E8) will retail for CN¥2,799 ($447, INR 26,531) in the country. We don’t expect such agreesive pricing in other markets but it still gives us an idea.

HTC One (E8) vs HTC One (M8)