HTC is thus claiming the U11 as the first phone that can practically take photos underwater (it’s also waterproof). And yes, there won’t be a near bezel-less display on the front, unlike other flagships. The phone is a lot capable.
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By default, the U11 is preset to respond to a short squeeze by launching the camera app, and then a second one to capture an image once it loads.
HTC remains a popular manufacturer on the Android platform but the tech firm has enjoyed more notable success in the a year ago with the launch of its virtual reality headset Vive.
But it’s a feature that the iPhone 7 can match, with that phone offering exactly the same level of resistance.
Unlike tapping and swiping on screens, the squeeze action can be performed with gloves on or in wet conditions.
The brilliant and sturdy metal design language that HTC religiously followed could be replaced by the shiny and more vibrant glass and metal chassis.
As for the cameras, HTC is focusing on speed and performance rather than outright quality this year. After all, it sure is pretty, but does it include the types of features you want in a 2017, $700 phone?
Design: The HTC U11 has a slim, refined design that trumps the stylish HTC 10 – and bundles in a new squeeze control mechanism called “Edge Sense” for good measure.
Billed as an intuitive technology that will “fundamentally change the way you use your device”, Extended Touch is enabled by pressure-sensitive pads in the left and right-hand sides of the lower portion of the phone.
Neither of these phones are lacking when it comes to power. The HTC U11 comes with a 5.5-inch Quad HD Super LCD 5 display layered with Gorilla Glass 5. Teased early last month with the freaky tagline “Squeeze for the Brilliant”, HTC’s latest flagship set tongues wagging and overactive imaginations running over time.
The new U11 meanwhile is the first place you’ll find HTC’s own Companion assistant alongside the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa all in one place.
The Huawei Mate 9 also offers both assistants, but the U11 goes a step further. Would you be interested in buying this when it comes to India?
HTC says that the feature will have more functionality in July when the company releases the Edge Sense app. In 2016, they launched the HTC 10, which was a great smartphone but marginally behind the Samsung Galaxies and Google Pixels. It’s also far larger than the 1,960mAh one in the iPhone 7. We don’t know when Motorola’s Alexa efforts will be revealed, but it seems like Alexa on the U11 is the version to beat.
Coming to the camera department, the HTC U11 features a 12 MP UltraPixel 3-branded unit on the rear, while the selfie snapper is coming at 16 MP.
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Earlier: Just after the CES 2017, HTC unveiled the new U series smartphones with the glossy finish body and premium price tag. But, you won’t have access to some colors at launch as only three of them are presently being made available – blue, black and silver. The upshot is that it now understands more commands and allows you to do more with your voice alone. If you can deal with Sprint, it’s probably worth preordering too, since HTC is offering a pair of Amazon Echo Dot smart-speakers for everyone who does.
