14 DAY TRIAL // HTC has already confirmed a launch event for January 12, right after Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 trade fair, which is supposed to end on January 8.
Although the Taiwanese company did not reveal any details regarding the device(s) to be announced next month, sources familiar with HTC's plans claim the handset maker will introduce not one, but three new smartphones.
With the January 12 announcement, HTC plans to refresh its lineup of smartphones under a new banner called “Ocean.” The three Ocean smartphones will cover all price tiers, but they will have many features in common.
One of the smartphones to be unveiled on January 12, the HTC Ocean Note, is expected to ditch the 3.5mm audio jack in favor of the USB Type-C port. The move shouldn't be surprising, though, since this is not the first HTC smartphone to lack 3.5mm audio jack.
HTC Bolt launched last month was the first phone the company offered without the audio jack, but the mistake was the Taiwanese company did not include an adapter in the sales package and had to recommend customers to register on its website if they wanted one for free after purchasing the phone.
Anyway, the Ocean Note will also come with the same audio technology that was included in the HTC Bolt and which automatically adjusts the audio settings based on ambient noise.
Another core feature of the smartphone is the addition of a dual-edge curved display, just like on the Galaxy S7 edge. HTC also plans to improve the camera inside its high-end smartphones, but it will have a tough job as Google Pixel seems to be the uncontested winner when it comes to photography.
HTC Ocean Note will be available for purchase in three color options: black, blue, and white. Unfortunately, rumor has it the phone will be powered by a MediaTek chipset, a rather cheap solution for a high-tier device.
While the phone will be officially unveiled on January 12, sales are expected to start on January 28, but only in China.