14 DAY TRIAL // HTC unveiled the HTC U Ultra on January 12 right after CES 2017, being one of the first premium smartphones to be announced this year. The U Ultra brings some design and software changes, including a secondary display and the AI virtual assistant HTC Sense Companion.
Two variants of the U Ultra were announced, one with 64GB of internal storage and the other with 128GB of memory. A particularly appealing trait of the 128GB variant is its Sapphire glass display, which provides increased protection against scratches.
Indeed, Sapphire Glass is the equivalent of Corning Gorilla Glass coating, which we’ve seen used in some flagship smartphones, quite a few from Samsung. Sapphire glass is also found on the HTC U Ultra's main camera, keeping the sensor protected in case of scratches or falls.
HTC U Ultra with 128GB of storage will be up for pre-order in Taiwan
Sapphire Glass is made out of crystallizing aluminum oxide, produced at high temperatures and pressures. It’s used in Apple Watch and a number of devices, but it’s said to be more expensive than Gorilla Glass.
During the BrilliantU event, HTC said that the limited-edition U Ultra with 128GB of storage and Sapphire Glass would arrive later than the standard variant, but didn’t provide an actual timeframe. The standard U Ultra with 64GB of storage is currently up for pre-order in the US and a number of other countries, but will ship sometime in March.
HTC has already posted the HTC U Ultra with Sapphire Glass on its Taiwan website, while the phone will be up for pre-order sometime in mid-February and ship in March. The device carries a price tag of about $920, a bit more expensive than the standard U Ultra sold for $749 in the US. HTC is expected to make this variant available in other countries as well.
Both variants have the same hardware specs, specifically 4GB of RAM, a 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor, a 5.7-inch Quad HD screen, 12MP rear camera, and 16MP front sensor. It’s worth mentioning that the standard U Ultra has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 coating on the display.