 The HTC One A9 is a unique device, but you wouldn't know that by looking at it. This new Android smartphone can be easily confused for an iPhone. It has the same shape, the same aluminum unibody design, and even feels the same when you hold it. What makes it distinct however is precisely the fact that it brings all these iPhone qualities to the world of Android. And not just any Android, but Android Marshmallow, the latest version of Google's mobile OS. The One A9 boxed the present trend for ever larger and more powerful flagship Android phones, prioritizing instead a thin, lightweight design over raw horsepower. The display is a 5-inch AMOLED panel that looks great in all lighting conditions. There's a new 30MP camera with optical instabilization. HTC isn't willing to describe this as its best camera ever, but I can already tell you that it is. The sad disappointment of this year's earlier One M9 has been rectified. HTC's signature boom sound speakers have been removed to make room for a new fingerprint sensor under the display, which also acts as a touch sensitive home button. Unlike the iPhone or the Galaxy S6, this home button can't be pressed in and only offers vibration feedback, but it is just as fast and accurate as the others. And sound still remains the top priority for HTC, with support for high resolution audio and a single speaker that still sounds great. HTC's One A9 is a lot like Samsung's Galaxy Alpha of 2014. A phone that doesn't have a clear relationship to the company's flagship device, but is designed like a flagship in its own right. Like the Alpha, the biggest sacrifice that the One A9 makes is in the battery. It's only 2150mAh, which is more than the iPhone, but well below the modern Android average. That's paired with the Snapdragon 617 processor, which promises greater efficiency, and Android's Doze feature to have a battery life that's at least adequate. The funny thing about the HTC One A9 is that none of its specs appear to be class leading or all that special. And yet it performs with beautiful speed and fluidity. It feels great, and it does pretty much everything you'd want a modern smartphone to do. It's like HTC copied the iPhone's it just works credo along with the device's look and design. And that's what makes the One A9 so interesting. In a sea of high powered machines, it's a light and airy alternative that puts the user experience first. The One A9 will be available around the world from the start of November. Stay tuned to The Verge for a full review in the coming days.