HTC has teased that it is launching a brand new U series smartphone after a long hiatus. For those who don’t know, HTC used to be a major smartphone brand and it is the go-to device to get before Samsung became the dominant Android smartphone maker.
#seeUsoon#HTC #viverse pic.twitter.com/1q5AZKMbIY
— HTC (@htc) May 5, 2023
From the teaser, the new HTC U device is going to be focused on the metaverse and it is shown to be featuring HTC’s Viverse platform. So far no launch dates were provided but we are guessing that it could launch during Computex 2023 which is happening on 30th May. Talks about HTC launching a Metaverse phone have been going on for quite some time since last year. This came after HTC introduced Viverse, which is their platform that focuses on virtual reality experience with safety and security in mind.
Coincidently, a new HTC device has been spotted online and it is rumoured to be called the HTC U23 Pro 5G. In terms of design, it looks like a Galaxy S21 Ultra-inspired device with a large rectangular camera bump with a quad-camera setup. It doesn’t really look as inspiring and it is a far cry from HTC’s greatest hits like the HTC One series and the HTC U 11. One of the cameras is purported a 108MP shooter that comes assisted with optical image stabilisation.
In terms of specs, it is rumoured to come with an AMOLED display and run on a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip. The device also is said to come with a 4,600mAh battery with support for wireless charging and it comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Looking at the design, this is highly likely to be an engineering sample and we reckon that HTC will have a better-looking device if it wants a chance in winning over some consumers. As a smartphone maker, HTC is virtually forgotten in the current smartphone landscape and they have been struggling to find its niche to stand out. Several years back, HTC tried to cash in on the cryptocurrency trend by releasing its blockchain-focused Exodus 1 and cheaper Exodus 1s.
The last proper HTC flagship smartphone to launch in Malaysia was the HTC U12+ back in 2018. It came with a “button-less” design as it uses pressure-sensitive sensors on the body as well as for the fixed “physical buttons”.
