Guessing the design of a flagship smartphone is getting easy by the day. A glass unibody design, dual camera, 18:9 display are the some of the factors, that make up a flagship smartphone. Similarly, MWC 2018 has shown that a notch is also now a viable “feature”.
Here is the first glimpse of the upcoming HTC U12+, which is expected to replace the HTC U11+. However, we are yet to receive the information about the unaccounted HTC U12. In fact, the company might skip the HTC U12 entirely and directly launch the U12+, which is expected to go live in April or May.
The design of the HTC U12+ resembles most of the premium flagship smartphones of late 2017 and early 2018. The device has a glass front, glass back and a metal mid-frame, which is almost identical to the HTC U11+. However, after years of gap, the company is once again back to the dual camera business.
HTC U11
Expected specifications of HTC U12+
The HTC U12+ will have a 6 inch display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution. This means that the company will continue launching 18:9 smartphones, like the HTC U11+.
Under the hood, it will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The new flagship chipset is no longer Samsung-exclusive and is already present in smartphones from Asus and Sony as well. Coupled with this chipset will be up to 6GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. However, details about other variants have not been revealed. It will be IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, a staple for modern-day flagship phones.
Interestingly, the leak mentions HTC Face Unlock as well. Now, it is a known fact that Face Unlock is the new trend of the industry. However, it will be interesting to see how HTC implements this feature and how secure it’ll be. On the back of the smartphone will be a dual camera setup of a 12MP sensor coupled with a 16MP Sony IMX3xx sensor. No details about the nature of these sensors has been revealed so far.
The HTC U12 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with HTC Sense UI on top. Powering the device will be a 3420 mAh battery which will support QuickCharge 4.0. It will be interesting to see if the smartphone will support wireless charging.
The next flagship smartphone from HTC is expected to be the HTC U12. Like the Galaxy S9, the HTC U12 will be an incremental update, which is expected to retain the design from the current HTC flagship, the U11+. However, in terms of hardware, the smartphone is expected to suit up with the top of the line 2018 specifications.
HTC U11+
Like the HTC U11+, the U12 is expected to have an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. Hence, the fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the smartphone. The HTC U12 is also expected to feature dual primary camera setup. However, we are still unsure about what the implementation will be.
The device is expected to feature HTC’s trademarked liquid-glass design with a matte finish. In fact, the company might go with the ceramic-coating to achieve the matte white glass finish.
Leaked specifications
The HTC U12 will have a 5.99 inch display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution with 18:9 aspect ratio like the HTC U11+.
HTC M8 with Dual camera setup
Under the hood, it will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The new flagship chipset is no longer Samsung-exclusive and is already present in smartphones from Asus and Sony as well. Coupled with this chipset will be up to 6GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. However, details about other variants have not been revealed. It will be IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, a staple for modern-day flagship phones.
Interestingly, the leak mentions HTC Face Unlock as well. Now, it is a known fact that Face Unlock is the new trend of the industry. However, it will be interesting to see how HTC implements this feature and how secure it’ll be. On the back of the smartphone will be a dual camera setup of a 12MP sensor coupled with a 16MP Sony IMX3xx sensor. No details about the nature of these sensors have been revealed so far.
The HTC U12 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with HTC Sense UI on top. Powering the device will be a 3420 mAh battery which will support QuickCharge 4.0.
HTC is hosting an event on 2nd of November in Taiwan and sent out invitations to local media which might hint towards what is possibly coming.
As can be seen in the event invite, the large “U” at the top might be a hint towards new smartphones which could will be a part of HTC’s U lineup. Over the past few weeks, there have been several leaks suggesting that HTC is working on two smartphones: a mid-range device for Google’s Android One program, and a flagship device which will succeed the HTC U11. It is not clear whether both the phones will be unveiled on 2nd of November or not.
The mid-range Android One smartphone could be called the U11 Life. The smartphone will have a 5.2-inch display, a Snapdragon 630 chipset, and 16MP cameras on the front and back. It is expected to be launched in two variants, one with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and another with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Leaked images suggest the smartphone will have a shiny blue back which has become a HTC signature. The price is expected to be around US$400 (Rs 26000 approx.), which will be on par with another Android One device, the Moto X4.
The flagship smartphone is expected to be called the U11 Plus and will be the bigger and better version of the HTC U11. The smartphone is rumoured to have a 6-inch display, with a 2880 x 1440 resolution, and an 18:9 aspect radio. It is expected to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 12MP rear camera, and IP68 water resistance. Just like the U11 Life, the U11 Plus will be launched in two variants, one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and another with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The specifications do sound very similar to the Google Pixel 2 XL but, it is becoming harder to differentiate between flagship smartphones by looking at just the specifications. One huge difference between the two phones will obviously be the HTC Sense UI and stock Android OS.
In September, it was announced that a cooperation agreement between Google and HTC meant that HTC’s smartphone division was bought by Google for US$1.1 billion. iGyaan reported that despite the deal, HTC will continue making smartphones and the upcoming event will certainly lift the curtain over the next big thing in HTC’s portfolio.
Google and HTC announced a cooperative agreement on 21st September worth US$1.1 billion. According to the deal, HTC smartphone division personnel will start working for Google, giving it control over the hardware as well for upcoming Pixel devices. The statement released by both the companies revealed that the HTC U11 won;t be the last Android flagship by HTC, and iGyaan reported that a new flagship will be released in 2018. Now, a new report by GSM Arena from France reveals that HTC is working on HTC U11 Plus and may launch it in China on November 11.
There isn’t much known about the phone yet. The upcoming HTC U11 Plus will have a codename, Ocean Master. The device is expected have a 5.99-inch 2880 x 1440 px display translating to an 18:9 aspect ratio. The phone will have minimal bezels and look more like a new-age flagship device. Like the HTC U11, the Plus variant of the phone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. The HTC U11 Plus is expected to come in two variants – one with 4GBR RAM/64GB storage and second variant which will be a top end version will come with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
The smartphone is expected to have a 12MP rear-mounted camera. On the front, the U11 Plus is expected to have an 8MP sensor. HTC will not jump the dual-camera bandwagon just yet and continue with a single camera at the back just like the U11. The U11 Plus is also expected to be IP68 certified water and dust resistant. It is also said to support Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 and also include the HTC U11 Active Edge feature.
The new phone, whenever it does get launched, might one of the last few smartphones HTC makes as a complete smartphone division takeover by Google seems inevitable.
HTC has launched the Solar Red colour variant of the HTC U11 in India. Previously, HTC had launched the U11 in India in the Blue Sapphire and Amazing Silver variants. The Solar Red colour was launched globally to great reviews for its reflective back panel finish. The smartphone is available on the company’s e-commerce website for Rs 51,990. The USP of this variant is that its rear shell shows different shades of colours – yellow, pink and several tones of orange when looked from different angles. It also comes with a distinctly darker shade of red frame around the corners.
The Solar Red HTC U11 comes in as a breath of fresh air among the same old black, blue and gold coloured smartphones. The design on the HTC U11 is thanks to the liquid glass surface, which is crafted using Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition tech which HTC has designed or mastered for use with the U11.
The U11 features a 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 px Super LCD5 display with a pixel density of 534ppi. Powering the smartphone is a 3,000 mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0 via the USB Type-C port. It runs on Android 7.1.1 with HTC’s SenseUI on top. Running all of it under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.45GHz octa-core processor, the Adreno 540, 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card.
Another distinction for the HTC U11 apart from the colour changing rear panel is the Edge Sense technology. It basically allows you to squeeze the frame of your device to launch an action/app. For example, you can set the squeeze to open WhatsApp or take a picture. In the camera department, the U11 is also the first smartphone to score 90 on the DXOmark test, and all of it with a 2016-like single camera setup. It features a 12MP rear-facing camera with an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilisation and a 16MP front0facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture.
HTC has launched the new HTC U11 with the Edge Sense Squeeze feature in India, as expected the phone has been launched at a great price and that too with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. As a company HTC has planned and executed a complete turnaround of efforts, that reflects heavily on their pricing strategy.
The HTC U11 has launched for a Price of Rs. 51990 this translates to around US $800, But, the global variant only sells with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of Storage. The HTC U11 has a new outlook from HTC’s usual flagships, dropping the all metal design for a Glass front and back and a new Edge Squeeze feature that allows you to expect tasks.
HTC also maintains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, so no mediatek or under clocked phones for our market. HTC is also offering up a free HTC flip-cover worth INR 1,999 and 10% cash back on certain cards.
The new design on the HTC U11 is thanks to the liquid glass surface, which is crafted using Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition tech which HTC has designed or mastered for use with the U11.
HTC U11 also scored 90 on the DXOmark test which makes it the highest scoring mobile smartphone camera yet. The HTC U11 has a new camera sensor of 12 MP, with an f/1.7 aperture along with phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilisation.
HTC’s new U11 has a 5.5 inch Super LCD5 Display along with a 2560 x 1440 px resolution, protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
HTC will launch the HTC U11 on June 9th according to information received from people close to the launch. The HTC U11 which was recently announced in Taiwan at the company’s HQ in Taipei will be launched in two waves, the first wave in the First week of June for markets including United States, UK, Europe and Australia for the 4GB and 64GB variant of the U11 by HTC.
The Second wave of launches will begin in the second week of June for markets like India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore and Thailand where the phone will be launched in the 6 GB + 128 GB variant. According to our sources the price that HTC is aiming to sell the HTC U11 at is Rs 54999 but this may change as the shipment reaches India and the costs are finally evaluated. HTC wants to keep the phone at tough competition with the Samsung Galaxy S8 in India.
The highlight of the HTC U11 is the Edge sense feature which allows users to squeeze the phone from the edges to initiate an action. The front has a 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 px display with a Super LCD panel with Gorilla Glass 5, the fingerprint sensor and capacitive back and menu buttons sit on the bottom chin of the phone.
The HTC U11 has a new 12 MP utra-pixel camera module with a 1.4 micron pixel size , f/1.7 aperture and dual pixel autofocus. The 5 axis optical image stabilization on the back camera merges with EIS like on the Google Pixel to give a mix of both worlds and really steady shots even in low light. The video is captured at 4k @30fps and will work with gyro based electronic image stabilization which too is a pretty good example of leveraging the power of the new chipset and software for a good outcome. The HTC U11 is the first phone to be awarded the DXO mark rating of 90 and features impressive optimizations for better UI and camera performance.
The front camera is 16 MP sensor which does have an f/2.0 aperture but no auto focus. The front camera also has a wide angle lens and manages to do a good job in low light.
HTC has launched the new U11 at an event in Taipei. The HTC U11 will be the company’s successor the the HTC 10 and their new flagship for the year 2017.
The company sticks strongly to their brand philosophy and wants to continue their U series of phones forward, and to make that happen the design for HTC plays an important role. The HTC U11 continues the Liquid surface design seen on the HTC U ultra, but, the similarities mostly end there.
The HTC U11 is sleeker and more refined, built with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, which is a good thing considering the front and back are glass. The metal frame holds everything together and the phone looks great with a good play of colors using the glass layering technique on the back of the phone.
The phone also manages clean lines with a flush back and a tiny camera bump along with IP67 water resistance, making this the first HTC flagship with any kind of weather resistance. The phone has been launched in 5 colors all of which will be coming to most markets including India, the Brilliant Black, Amazing Silver, Ice white, Sapphire Blue and Solar Red.
On the specs front HTC has pretty much upped the game, for markets like India this will be the first Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset equipped handset from any manufacturer. HTC will also only launch the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in India and plans to price it competitively against the Samsung Galaxy S8. Other markets including US , Europe and Australia will get the 4GB + 64GB variant in the first wave. The front has a 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 px display with a Super LCD panel, the fingerprint sensor and capacitive back and menu buttons sit on the bottom chin of the phone.
The HTC U11 has a new 12 MP utra-pixel camera module with a 1.4 micron pixel size , f/1.7 aperture and dual pixel autofocus. The 5 axis optical image stabilization on the back camera merges with EIS like on the Google Pixel to give a mix of both worlds and really steady shots even in low light. The video is captured at 4k @30fps and will work with gyro based electronic image stabilization which too is a pretty good example of leveraging the power of the new chipset and software for a good outcome.
The front camera is 16 MP sensor which does have an f/2.0 aperture but no auto focus. The front camera also has a wide angle lens and manages to do a good job in low light.
The main camera on the HTC U11 is the highest rated with a DXO mark score of 90. The camera also has interesting modes built in including a full PRO mode with RAW capture and HDR boost which works to get the best result in poorly lit conditions.
The HTC U11 launches with Android 7.1.1 out of the box and will feature the ability to use Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa which launches in July as a play store app. Interestingly users will be able to use both assistants at the same time, ideally because one may not be able to the function of the other. The HTC Companion assistant will also reside on the phone as a contextual assistant, again leveraging the power of the 835 chipset.
The new layer of HTC Sense is super clean and intuitive, HTC continues to remove redundancy from their apps, so you mostly get a stock android experience with continued customizations offered via the HTC themes.
The main feature of the HTC U11 is the “Edge Sense”, a feature that allows you to squeeze the edges of the phone to be able to initiate a task, initially things like launching an app, or turning on the flashlight. Later the company wants to enable automations based on the Squeeze feature, allowing you to set up tasks that you would normally need to tap on the screen to achieve. For eg. one squeeze could in theory, click a picture, launch Instagram, and share that image including preset text and filters.
For now the Edge Sense will be restricted to app and feature launches. The Edge sense needs to be setup the first time you start the phone, deciding how strong a squeeze you need for the phone to activate.
The HTC U11 will include noise cancelling U sonic in earphones inside the box, the earphones will map your ear canal and do a tone setup to give you the best sound and this works really well. The new noise cancellation feature works with the USB-C port which allows two way data flow. HTC will also include a dongle for Usb C to 3.5 mm headphone jack, this tiny dongle includes a DAC which in itself is a feat.
The HTC U11 will be manufactured in Taiwan at the HTC plant in Taipei, which has one of the strongest standards and best assembly lines in the world. The U11 goes through various layers of testing before making it to the final box. The factory which has a futuristic assembly line, run by 50% robots, tests each component of each phone before the phone is packed into a box. Then each packed phone goes through a quality check where each aspect including aesthetic and internals of the HTC U11 are checked by quality control engineers.
HTC’s U11 manufacturing process is too difficult to shift out of the company’s own manufacturing unit and they want to bring back their gold standard when it comes to build quality and general quality assurance.
HTC wants to sell the HTC U11 in markets like India, Malaysia, Thailand etc within one week of global sale which starts first week of June. The company is strongly focused on the right pricing and wants to fix their mistakes of the past. While the European price of the phone is Euro 749, the Indian market will see the phone for around Rs. 55000-57000 making it a strong competition for the Exynos equipped Samsung Galaxy S8
