HTC expands the U11 smartphone line-up with two new devices
The U11 Life and U11+ will both be available to pre-order this month.
HTC has unveiled two new smartphones – the U11+, a bigger screen version of its flagship device, and the mid-range U11 Life.
The new U11+ comes with a larger six-inch display and a bigger battery than the flagship U11 that launched earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the new U11 Life uses Android One – the streamlined version of Google’s mobile operating system and features 16 megapixel cameras on the front and back of the device.
Both devices will also feature the Edge Sense squeeze feature the tech giant first introduced to the original U11 earlier this year.
The feature enables users to squeeze the bottom half of the device to launch the camera and take selfies, as well as customise it to trigger other apps.
Edge Sense has been expanded on the two new phones too, with the addition of Edge Launcher, a wheel-based menu that offers a range of shortcuts into different apps and notifications with a squeeze.
The two new devices are the first to be unveiled by the Taiwan-based firm since its deal with Google was announced – which saw around 2,000 engineers join Google for just over one billion dollars.
The firm is now looking to prove it can continue innovating and challenging in the smartphone market despite that staff shift, and the U11+ features an eye-catching translucent finish aimed at attracting attention.
The U11 Life, being marketed as a “mid-tier” device, is the first HTC phone in the UK to use Android One, the stripped back version of Google’s Android that contains fewer apps and is designed to be easier to use.
The Life will also be the first Android One phone to run the latest version of Android – 8.0 Oreo.
Elsewhere, the devices will also support a strong audio experience, with both the U11+ and U11 Life compatible with HTC’s high-resolution audio supporting USonic earphones.
