The smartphone will be released next week

May 16, 2017 07:22 GMT  ·  By

HTC has just held an event in Taipei to announce a new premium smartphone, the HTC U11. The flagship smartphone features high-end specs and the highly exciting Edge Sense feature for squeezing the device and performing various actions.

HTC’s unveil of the U11 marks the 20-year anniversary for the smartphone maker, and with the latest offering, HTC wants to bring a new way for users to interact with their smartphones, through voice, but also touch.

HTC U11’s Edge Sense feature allows users to squeeze the phone’s frame and launch applications, shoot images while in motion, find certain contacts, and even launch Google Assistant or Alexa.

It offers a combination of gestures and customization features, together with the ability to assign apps to certain squeeze functions to get them to launch instantly. The level of force can be adjusted, increased or decreased. The pocket mode uses the proximity sensor to avoid false presses. Moreover, Edge Sense works when the phone is wet or the user wears gloves.

HTC U11 back view
HTC U11 back view

DxOMark has just rated the HTC U11 with the highest rank smartphone camera and granted the device with a score of 90, higher than the Google Pixel or Galaxy S8. The HTC U11 doesn’t come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it does feature HTC USonic USB Type-C headphones with active noise cancellation capabilities, together with the next-generation HTC BoomSound.

HTC U11 is IP67 waterproof and comes with the liquid surface design that we’ve seen in the previous HTC U phones, featuring aluminum and glass materials.

The new smartphone comes with an ergonomic design and a slightly bent cover glass that creates a symmetrical and fluid look. In terms of coloring, HTC U11 will be available in 5 options, including Amazing Silver, Sapphire Blue, Brilliant Black, Ice White, and Solar Red.

HTC U11
HTC U11

Inside, the HTC U11 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform and has a 5.5-inch Quad HD display. RAM capacity reaches 4GB with 64GB of internal memory, while a 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage version will be made available in certain markets, but not the US.

The smartphone features a 16MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture, ultrapixel tuning and 150 degrees wide angle lens for group selfies, while the rear camera comes with a 12MP sensor with optical stabilization and dual-pixel autofocus. Battery capacity is 3,000mAh.

HTC U11 will be available starting next week in certain regions, while the rest of the world will be able to purchase the phone on June 9 for a price of $696. Pre-orders for the Sprint model will start today, while the phone will ship in June.

The retail box contains USonic Noise Cancelling Headphones, 3.5mm adapter and a clear case for the HTC U11.

HTC U11 (6 Images)

HTC U11 front and back view
HTC U11 back viewHTC U11
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