HTC unveiled its premium HTC U Ultra phablet. Everyone knows HTC had a couple of years ago, despite being once one of the great kings of the Android world. While the HTC One M7 and an M8 were two positive steps in the right direction for HTC. Last year HTC tried again to turn things around with the HTC 10.
HTC 10 was better received than its predecessor, but unfortunately it failed perhaps because it was not exciting or remarkable in any way, so it did not sell well. Now HTC with their U line up show promise and the new direction that the company has taken. The company has understood years ago that everyone wants something different from their phone. Let’s see what HTC U Ultra (Also known as HTC Ocean Note) brings this time.
HTC U Ultra release date and price
HTC is in a hurry because the U Ultra will be available before the Mobile World Congress. Beginning in mid-February, the first spoilers will appear in some markets. First to hit the market will be the HTC U Ultra with 64GB of internal memory, black and blue. In March, HTC will also launch the U Ultra in a variant with 128GB of internal memory and sapphire crystal screen protection, in the same colors.
If you prefer something more eye-catching, there will also be white and pink HTC U Ultra phablets in the future. It is unclear when these two will be available. We know the price, and it is typical for an HTC device. The 64GB version is available unlocked for a preorder of $ 750 and will work with T-Mobile and AT & T when it is delivered in early March. The 128GB version and sapphire crystal will cost 849 EUR (about 898 USD). The U Ultra is cheaper than the Google Pixel XL, which has similar technical specifications.
The U Ultra is now available for pre-order from htc.com for $ 750, in an unlocked version that will work with LTE networks from AT & T and T-Mobile. It will be shipped in early March.
HTC U Ultra Specifications
About HTC U Ultra Display
HTC U Ultra is a premium phablet with an IPS LCD screen of 2560 × 1440 of 5.7 inches. Its screen is significantly larger than the 5.2 inch screen of the HTC 10 to 5.7 inches with a resolution of QHD. In addition, the introduction of a secondary screen 2-inches above the main, with a resolution of 160 x 1040. The main screen is for applications and other regular functions and the secondary display is dedicated To the AI, HTC Sense Companion. The secondary display will allow users to connect with their AI companion..
HTC U Ultra Design
Finally, after years of offering a metallic design, HTC is making a with the HTC U Ultra. HTC opts for a 3D contoured glass design that we can’t help but feel is quite familiar to what we have seen from companies like Samsung. This has been described by the company as a liquid design. The smooth and glossy look provided by the glass used adds to the liquid effect of the device. They may use the Sapphire glass which is strong and scratch proof, but this addition will only be seen in limited devices coming out later this year. The smartphone will be available in 4 colors, blue, pink, white and green.
HTC U Ultra Hardware and Software
The phone rocks pretty solid hardware specifications, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, the powerful Snapdragon 821 SoC is clocked at 2.15 GHz. With 4GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage as well as microSD expansion up to 2TB. Under this display is a button configuration, with the HTC U Ultra you once again get a home button that Duplicates a fingerprint scanner. It will run on Android Nougat 7.1.
HTC U Ultra camera
The HTC 10 proved that the company knows the quality of the camera. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL show that HTC has learned from the past, in the choice of cameras, and does not want to commit mistakes of the One M8 or M9 again. In the U Ultra, HTC has judiciously chosen the camera of Google Pixel and Pixel XL.
As far as the camera specifications go, a 12MP UltraPixel 2 camera sensor with laser autofocus, is located at the back and a 16MP selfie shooter. The specifications of the camera are similar to those used in HTC 10 with the ability to capture 4k content, phase detection autofocus, OIS, a size of 1.55 μm pixel, and aperture f/1.8.
In addition to the UltraPixel mode, there is also a panorama mode for selfies. By tilting left and right during recording, you can take a wider field of view. This mode will be ideal for group selfies.
HTC U Ultra battery
And there’s more like the HTC 10, you get a non-removable 3000 mAh battery, considering that the screen is much larger than the 10, and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 There is no 3.5 mm audio jack, Instead of the USB-C Port will be used for the stock earphones. Without a headphone jack, HTC leaves out an area for which it is known, although we imagine that its wireless sound support is also top notch, and you can, of course, except some kind of USB-C audio adapter For those who want to use Existants with the U Ultra.
HTC U Ultra Price
The HTC U Ultra is expected to start shipping in March and will be priced at $749.
HTC U Ultra detailed specifications
| LAUNCH | Announced | 2017, January |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Coming soon. Exp. release 2017, March | |
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 | |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| 4G bands | LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 17(700), 20(800), 28(700), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500) | |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (3CA) Cat11 600/50 Mbps | |
| GPRS | Yes | |
| EDGE | Yes | |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android OS, v7.0 (Nougat) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 | |
| CPU | Quad-core (2×2.15 GHz Kryo & 2×1.6 GHz Kryo) | |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | |
| BODY | Dimensions | 162.4 x 79.8 x 8 mm (6.39 x 3.14 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | |
| MEMORY | Card slot | microSD, up to 256 GB (uses SIM 2 slot) |
| Internal | 64/128 GB, 4 GB RAM | |
| DISPLAY | Type | Super LCD5 capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| Size | 5.7 inches (~69.7% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels (~513 ppi pixel density) | |
| Multitouch | Yes | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (64 GB) Sapphire crystal glass (128 GB) | |
| – Secondary display, 160 x 1040 pixels, 2.05 inches | ||
| CAMERA | Primary | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, OIS, laser & phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash |
| Features | 1/2.3” sensor size, 1.55µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, Auto-HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 2160p@30fps (24-bit/192kHz audio), 720p@120fps | |
| Secondary | 16 MP, 1080p, Auto-HDR | |
| COMMS | ||
| Bluetooth | v4.2, A2DP, LE | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | To be confirmed | |
| USB | v3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector | |
| SOUND | Alert types | Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | |
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| – 24-bit/192kHz audio – Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic | ||
| BATTERY | Non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery | |
| Stand-by | Up to 312 h (3G) | |
| Talk time | Up to 26 h (3G) | |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Messaging | SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM | |
| Browser | HTML5 | |
| Java | No | |
| – Fast battery charging (Quick Charge 3.0) – MP4/H.264 player – MP3/eAAC+/WAV player – Photo/video editor – Document viewer – WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
Early Verdict about HTC U Ultra
HTC sounds a new era for itself with the U Series. Instead of simply improving the technical specifications with ever faster hardware or a larger screen and higher resolution in order to impress. The U Ultra is designed To add value and ease to the life of the smartphone owner.
In theory, the HTC Sense Companion with the second display will be two additions to make everyday life easier for the user. Instead of being simply “brilliant”, the future HTC products will be easy for us, the users. We will see in the final exam if the device. And the final version of the software will live up to its promise to be designed with the user in mind.