As expected, HTC today took the wraps off of its latest Android hardware, the HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play.
The HTC U Ultra is the higher-end of the two devices here. It boasts a new-for-HTC design that the company refers to as a “liquid surface.” The glossy body is made of glass, and it includes Gorilla Glass 5 with curved edges on its face.
Another feature of the U Ultra is its secondary display. This 2.05-inch 160x1040 second screen sits above the U Ultra’s main display, right next to the front-facing camera, and can give you quick access to top contacts, app shortcuts, notifications, and more.
HTC is also touting the U Ultra’s Sense Companion. This AI assistant aims to learn about you from your use and then make recommendations for your day. For example, it might tell you to dress warm and leave early for work if there’s snow in the forecast, or tell you to take a battery pack if it thinks that you’ll need a charge.
When it comes to raw specs, the U Ultra is a high-end device. It runs Android 7.0 on a 5.7-inch 2560x1440 super LCD 5 display and has a 12-megapixel camera with phase detection autofocus, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, and dual tone LED flash. There’s also a 16-megapixel camera on the front of the U Ultra for all of your selfie needs.
Rounding out the U Ultra’s spec list is an octa-core Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a microSD slot, fingerprint reader, and a 3,000mAh battery. The phone also packs a USB Type-C port that doubles as a headphone jack since there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack to be found here.
The HTC U Ultra is now available for pre-order ahead of its mid-March launch. Pricing is set at $749. The unlocked model is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US.
HTC’s U Ultra looks like an attractive device, and its spec list is pretty respectable. The lack of US carrier support with the U Ultra is a bit of a bummer, both because there’s no carrier-supported device payment plan and because Verizon and Sprint customers are out of luck, but folks on GSM carriers now have an attractive new device to consider.
HTC today also introduced the U Play. The HTC U Play offers a “liquid surface” glass body that’s similar to the U Ultra, and it also includes the Sense Companion AI assistant. There’s no second screen to be found here, though.
Specs for the HTC U Play include a 5.2-inch 1920x1080 display, octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor, 16-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and OIS, 16-megapixel front camera, USB Type-C, fingerprint reader, and a 2500mAh battery. There are two versions, one with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, but both include a microSD slot for adding more storage if you need it.
HTC hasn’t yet divulged pricing info or launch details for the U Play.
