Samsung has launched some of the post popular Android handsets of all time, with its Galaxy S series — which includes the Galaxy S II and the Galaxy S III — selling more than 100 million units. But the devices certainly aren’t popular for their build quality.

All of Samsung’s devices are made of plastic, and although they look good, they don’t feel anywhere near as nice as competing handsets like the iPhone 5, the Nexus 4, and any of HTC’s high-end Android handsets — particularly the new HTC One — which use materials like glass and aluminum to provide a premium feel.

But Samsung isn’t about to change that for the upcoming Galaxy S IV. The Korean company has confirmed it will continue to use plastic, and it has its reasons for doing so.

Good news! If you’re planning to pick up the new HTC One when it makes its debut in the coming months, you won’t need to worry about getting a successor just three months later. An HTC executive has today confirmed that the device will be the company’s only flagship smartphone of 2013.

When HTC announced the new HTC One earlier this month, the company also announced its latest Sense 5 user interface alongside it. Now existing HTC smartphone owners are itching to know whether they’ll be getting it, too. Today the Taiwanese company has announced that a select number of devices will be upgraded in the future — but a lot of the specifics remain a mystery.

BARCELONA, MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS — HTC hasn’t announced any new devices here at Mobile World Congress, but that’s because it chose to give its latest Android flagship, the HTC One, its own press event earlier this month. It is here to show off that device, however, and it’s easy to see why the Taiwanese company wants everyone to get their hands on it.

Android smartphone vendors are often criticized for using too much plastic, and making devices that feel cheap — especially in comparison with Apple’s premium iPhone. But the HTC One is very different. Made from a block of aluminum, the device actually has a lot in common with the iPhone, and it looks and feels exactly how a high-end smartphone should.

GooPhone, a Chinese manufacturer famous for its clones of high-end smartphones and tablets, has today revealed the N2 Lite, its Samsung Galaxy Note II copy. The device comes with a 5.5-inch display, and even has its own S Pen, and at first glance, it almost looks identical to the real thing. Pull away its plastic, however, and and you’ll find it’s very different.