HTC U 11: Time to Squeeze.

http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-u11/

Introducing Edge Sense, ushering in a new age of phone interactions.

We are a pioneering company, and just like you, we are always trying, always searching, always learning. We wanted to go beyond the touch screen so we created an entirely new and intuitive way to interact with the phone – Edge Sense. A simple squeeze unlocks a whole new world.

And we didn’t just stop there. With a stunning 3D liquid glass surface, the highest DxOMark ever awarded to a smartphone camera with our new UltraSpeed Autofocus, the purest audio you can find with active noise cancellation, all wrapped in a beautiful water resistant package, HTC U11 sets a new standard of what you can expect from a smartphone.

 

Who the heck wants to squeeze their phone instead of using a convenience key like Blackberry? And who wants an all-glass phone where the headlining feature doesn't work if it's in a case, even a clear slim-fit one?

 

After my previous HTC 10, Im never buying an HTC phone again. Didn't like the battery life and the size is too big for my likes but a lot of people love them and the brand, I did like how they have a very close to stock Android feel with no double apps of everything like Samsung

 

Whoa there bruh. I have been using mine for over 6 months now and at the end of the day i have at least 40% left (9-10 hours at the studio) . I listen to spottily over wifi for over 5-6 hours. With about 2 hours of NBR and tons of emails. Total screen on time averages around 4 - 4 1/2 hours. And the audio DAC on this phone is second to none.
Camera however isnt the best out there, i rarely use it though, so a moot point for me.
Plus the bootloader is completely unlockable, very good community support and then there is the u-oh protection for when you shatter the screen. No other brand comes close to this type of feature list.

I love the new S8 and all, but never buying a Samsung just because - Their software is utter crap, and their phones are locked the heck down. Samsung is the equivalent of high end BGA laptops, that cost way more than they are worth.

 

never buying a Samsung as well here. still stuck on the Feb security update on my international unlocked s7. So sad! Even cheap Android phones get more updates than $hitsung

and yeah this reminds me, the camera is utter garbage on the HTC 10, I would have to hold my hand super still just to get an average shot. Point and shoot, forget it, you get a grainy image like it was shot with a 10 year old VGA phone

 

Yeah agree with you on both fronts there. I think the only this i have used the camera on my phone is to take zoomed in images of SOP8 chips to check their make/model no.'s xD

But in daylight its kinda OK'ish. End of the day im not the best person to comment on the HTC 10's camera since i rarely ever use it, for me my D800 is the end all be all for photography.

 

As for my own HTC 10, @bloodhawk and @Phoenix (thanks for your inputs and opinions )... I can get a solid 7 hours of screen-on time with 4G LTE. My phone is officially stuck at the January security update, but after applying the Sunshine S-OFF exploit, I re-based the phone to US Unlocked and now have the April update.

The camera is excellent when using manual mode, and that's what I use 90% of the time if I don't have my Nikon D7000 around. The UI is butter smooth even after 6 months of use, and I find no real complaints with Sense, except for the fact that HTC got rid of its own (in my opinion) superior calendar and gallery apps.

The only thing wrong with the U11, in my opinion, is the glass back. Even the sole USB-C port is no real issue. They place a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box, as well as USB-C active noise-cancelling headphones.

On top of all of that, @Phoenix, I think this might interest you, most of all: the HTC U11 that comes with 128 GB flash storage and 6 GB LPDDR4 RAM is only US$707 at the HTC Middle East store. This is the cheapest flagship phone of 2017 yet.

And finally, @Mitlov... Edge Sense is pressure-sensitive, not touch-sensitive. It will work through most reasonably-sized cases.

 

Spot on! Totally forgot the manual mode. It works so much better than most others out there ,as you mentioned.

Im actually big fan of sense.

 

I always wanted to get a HTC set but missed it multiple times starting from Nexus One to Sensation, One X then M7 and M8, 10. But that wish is dead not coming back ever.

HTC has lost themselves with this phone and their inexcusable U Ultra. No headphone Jack, Glass back - A huge bummer with departing from the ROCK SOLID metal unibody designs still no Wireless charging Yeah the company has done it's research on how will things sell, gloss it up a lot and shine it with Squeeze stuff which will be closed source and limited to the Sense. No stereo with those bezels, cmon is it hard to integrate a stereo set with that bezel design ? Nexus 6 beats this device by 10 folds in terms of design, I'm still waiting to see a better implementation of that apart from Axon 7 & Sony's Xperia Z series and XZ series, Oh Sony does offer Digital Noise Cancellation without any loss of jack vs the Active Noise Cancellation of the HTC.

And the Sonar capabilities and all fine you can keep it with a USB C but why are you removing the analog both can co-exist, Digital audio HTC belief is super wrong, A DAC has to exist. Any company must do that. So the DAC exists but the Audio DAC inside the headphones is there how about the AMP ? where do we get to know this ? nowhere plus the HTC10's DAC/AMP documentation doesn't exist, So I doubt that audio quality exists with custom ROMs (Speculation) Anyways coming back, this move makes all the headphone makes who want to make the stuff for the USB C port need to drop in a DAC inside that and not many like the audio signature of that set for eg - Sennheiser IE800, Shure SE846 they have 3.5mm and 2.5mm balance cable options that makes them get clean sound and use custom dac/amps stack but with this move they will be having limited audience, this is from a professional Audio POV or they can even charge more looking at the Audeze iSines over priced for Planar Magnetics and Cipher DAC for the Lightning propreitary, which will make them further enforce regulations/drm/license checks etc due to more control over I/O..

Space waste norm is super B$ thing ever heard, We know how robust and complex the current gen MXM boards are they can be adhered to the shape and design set of the OEM decisions, Apple did that for MFi cash influx they just want to save every cent, that's how Tim's mind thinks. And the 3.5mm port works with basic electronic controllers and coming to the High end support with USB C the support needs to be additionally added to the Hi-Fi setups like Schiit Audio, Chord, JDS Labs It's another layer of discomfort and breaks all the current gen things plus MORE cash. It's a nightmare !!

Adding an adapter (yes I know the DAC is Hi-Fi on both USonic and Adapter but when you keep it plugged in it will drain battery Plus no one did this, only HTC does but how many are going to care ? Plus the USonic wont work with any USB C sets) when you are making a change is not the way how it works, looking at the IDE vs SATA that's how progression happens not the regression, Which takes up space in your pocket and have to make yourself remind always when you carry it vs the old port which just stays there, Why would you do that ? Honestly people who are in for Audio and love music they use Digital signals and Some prefer the Hi Fi sets - HTC10 and numerous chinese OEMs (Vivo Xplay5 Elite - Lookup for the Audio specs and be baffled) ship with Dual Triple dedicated audio setups & a few phones from LG like V series, Hoping for the V30 to be great...

Yeah no one cares this all are busy with the Nicky Minaj and Beiber crud and Bluetooth yay "Kool-Aid" stuff (Btw LDAC is fine but it needs licensing also AptXHD isn't Lossless, iirc the LDAC is not for 24/96 grade). The OEMs will need more certification for the IP67/68 plus more testing for that rating which needs more cash, It's a corporate benefit move not consumer benefit move, HTC are busy with their Vive stuff and are loosing money so they are saving costs on the fragile glass vs the AL milling an Zero investment in R&D for Stereo etc, the HTC 10 was one of the best phones ever made and now look at how degenerated the company has become with the loss of the main person who was in key role for the M7 Uniboly AL design which even crApple copied. Such a shame the Andy Rubin's Essential Phone PH-1 ended out to be a perfect gimmick.

One has to listen to Multi Driver and Hybrid driver setups (Sony XBA Z5) and think again how music sounds Also making them BT is a pain in the arse keeping them wireless, need to charge and all one more thing to already deteriorating non removable limited cyle Li-Ion cells limited life vs until you can maintain (Sony MDR EX1000 still popular), I have a Samsung Galaxy S still with me with Voodoo Hack for the Wolfson chip with HW EQ and AMP so powerful that usual Aqustic powered 820/821 and 835 are just useless and bland even the Alienware with Realtek just stay numbed & dumbed. Need Software DSP solutions to compensate which can never rival the HW real gear (Arise soundsystems on Android is fine for EQing but not for the primary solution for Hi-Fi Audio or even sensible audio)

Another perspective - TL;DR

SO people should stop accepting what thee corporate overlords shove that'll be the only sign or noise you can ever make, MXMs, Privacy (Win10), Choices (extends to almost everything due to the fundamental aspect - liberty)..