Your main tech squeeze

The HTC U11 - with its Edge Sense feature - makes for an intriguing smartphone

By Alvin R Cabral

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Published: Fri 30 Jun 2017, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 30 Jun 2017, 2:00 AM

HTC's new midyear entry is really something special. It's headlined by something called Edge Sense, and no, it's not related to
Samsung's own 'edgy' offering. You've probably heard what the 'squeeze' is all about, but, to recap, it is an extra feature that can be configured to do a variety of tasks if you give it a squeeze.
Snap a photo? Check, er, squeeze. Switch from main to selfie mode? Squeeze. Fire up an app? Squeeze. Turn flashlight on or off? Squeeze. Launch Google Assistant? Squeeze. Instant voice recording? Squeeze. Order your favourite grub? Squee... well, not yet; but, who knows? HTC says it's working with app developers to make the most out of this feature (same for protective cover makers to make sure they adhere to the Edge Sense's standards). Basically, Edge Sense eliminates the need to use fingers when performing certain tasks, leaving it all to those gentle or not-so-gentle squeezes; short and long squeezes can be customised to do different tasks too.
There's another intriguing addition: Amazon's Alexa will also be made available on the U11. HTC guaranteed that they won't compete with each other; rather, Google Assistant and Alexa will complement each other. Two things, however: Alexa won't be available until July as part of a software update, and it'll only be for select regions.
Other than that, the device will pretty much remind you of the U Ultra, but with good looks and even better hardware. It's got HTC's Liquid Surface design, giving it a two-tone effect. Check out the Solar Red version - it turns from red to gold with a few tilts. However, it does tend to get smudged with fingerprints, even on its 5.5-inch quad-HD, Corning Gorilla Glass 5-protected display (up from the HTC 10's 5.2 inches). The home button/ navigation key/ fingerprint scanner is below, while a USB Type-C port is on the lower edge. The 3.5mm audio jack is unfortunately nowhere to be found; an adapter, however, ships along with the device, much like in the case of the iPhone 7.
Under its hood, the HTC U11 boasts some pretty powerful specs, starting with the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, putting it at par with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium. And the higher-end 6GB/128GB RAM/storage combo will be the option made available to those in the UAE.
The main camera is the same as the HTC 10's 12MP and it's able to shoot in RAW format. The bigger news is its front snapper: it's now up at 16MP (from the 10's humble 5MP). And thanks to new apertures, it shoots fairly well in low light conditions.

AND SO...
Apart from the oddly 'low' 3000mAh battery and those fingerprint smudges, there really isn't anything not to like about the HTC U11. The Edge Sense gimmick is certainly intriguing, but we may have to wait for developers to make their apps compliant to it to see its full potential. Until then, if the intrigue is enough for you, go ahead and grab one. and practice your squeezing power.

THE LOWDOWN
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 64-bit octa-core up to 2.45GHz
Memory: RAM - 6GB; storage - 128GB, up to 2TB microSD
Platform:    Android 7.1 Nougat with HTC Sense, Sense Companion
Display: 5.5 quad-HD Super LCD 5, Corning Gorilla Glass 5; two-tone Liquid Surface design
Camera: Main - 12MP UltraPixel 3 with dual-LED flash, RAW support; front - 16MP (both with HDR boost)
Audio: HTC USonic with active noise cancellation, HTC BoomSound HiFi Edition
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, Wi-Fi, Chromecast, DLNA, AirPlay; USB Type-C; dual-SIM     (nano)
Battery: 3000mAh, up to 24.5h talk, 14d standby; Quick Charge 3.0
Price: Dh2,599
Pros: Liquid Surface design, great audio, Edge Sense concept (verdict still out, though)
Cons: Battery life could've been more, finish attracts fingerprints
Author's rating: 9/10
alvin@khaleejtimes.com

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