HTC Teases Next Flagship Phone for May 23rd - HTC U12 Incoming?
by Ryan Smith on May 3, 2018 3:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- HTC
- Mobile
- HTC U12
HTC has begun to ramp up their marketing campaign for their next major smartphone release, teasing that they will be making a proper announcement on May 23rd.
In an email sent to the press this morning and posted on their website, HTC posted a photo of neatly laid out phone components, with the text “Coming Soon... A phone that is more than the sum of its specs.” The photo and the announcement give a May 23rd date for more details.
This announcement is about HTC’s next flagship smartphone, which would presumably be the HTC U12. HTC launched the current U11 almost exactly a year ago in 2017, so the time is ripe for HTC to bring out its successor.
It’s an interesting choice for HTC to opt to show the components of the phone, but show nothing about the body itself. The components include a number of camera modules, so like other flagship vendors it would seem that HTC is looking at going the dual camera route. Meanwhile any markings on the primary SoC have been edited out, though as a long-time Qualcomm customer it’s practically a foregone conclusion at this point that HTC will be tapping Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845.
Otherwise, we’ll have to see just what HTC has in store in a few weeks.
Update: As pointed out by Caetronianus, these aren't new components. Or even components of an HTC phone. Rather they're a disassembled iPhone 6...
Update 2, 05/04: It turns out things get even odder. While the main logic board is clearly from an iPhone 6, according to a report from CNET, the less distinguishable parts come from more than one phone, possibly including other, non-Apple phones. CNET also poked HTC about the parts and received the following reply:
We're glad people are studying our teaser so closely. The fact people have noticed parts from different phone models is exactly right – they represent the jumble of parts (specs) that our competitors inelegantly cram into their phones, while the space in the middle outlining HTC's next phone represents 'a phone that is more than the sum of its specs.
To be clear, none of the parts illustrated in the teaser came from the phone we're announcing May 23rd; people will have to tune in to htc.com that day to find out more…
Source: HTC
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Flunk - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
If you want one of those, the OnePlus 6 might be the phone for you. Most current high-end phones don't have them.Lord of the Bored - Saturday, May 5, 2018 - link
Man, if I don't want to use normal headphones, I use bluetooth headphones. If I'm using a cord, I want a real headphone jack, not a GBA SP-style dongle mess.Or alternatively, headphones that work ONLY with my phone, and also prevent me from charging it. Again, just like the GBA SP.
Remember, folks. History repeats itself, if you have enough courage.
stephenbrooks - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
On the plus side, if the components separate like that, the battery and SD card are definitely removable.ToTTenTranz - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
It will be interesting if it has dual front facing speakers, an audio jack and no notch.It will be forgettable if it has the same unbalanced earpiece + down-firing speaker, no audio jack and a notch.
I'm hoping for the second, but unfortunately HTC has been launching just metoo after metoo phones for a while, so I'm counting with the first.
1_rick - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
What did they ever do to you?ToTTenTranz - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
The question is what they did to themselves.Their financials from the last couple of years speak for themselves.
1_rick - Friday, May 4, 2018 - link
No, see, I was making a joke, because why would you want them to have the notch, no audio jack, etc.?ToTTenTranz - Friday, May 4, 2018 - link
Argh I switched the order!asfletch - Tuesday, May 8, 2018 - link
I would be so happy if they just cloned the Axon 7's design, but whacked in an SD845 and the U11's camera. They could call it the HTC 12. Stereo front-facing speakers + a headphone jack with a decent DAC behind it would be major differentiators in 2018.PS yes I know I could just buy an Axon 7, but I want HTC's software and camera. A guy can dream.
Sttm - Thursday, May 3, 2018 - link
Will they follow all those other fools into having a notch just because Apple did it? Or will they realize that a thicker top bezel is no less functional nor aesthetically displeasing?What they should really do now is just aim for the value premium against OnePlus. $500-600, SD845, 6gb RAM, OLED screen but maybe only FHD+ not QHD+, big battery, good fingerprint reader on the back, decent camera, headphone jack, wireless charging, clean stock Android.