For months, ValueWalk and others have been speculating on what to expect from the HTC 10 when it is finally unveiled. Well, today is that day and it needs to be said that I and a number of tech journalists had this one nearly spot-on with our predictions.
HTC 10 will pack a punch
Let’s get the nuts and bolts out of the way. When the HTC ships in May, you can pre-order now at a whopping $699 unlocked, it will be made available through Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile at a discounted price with a contract. As of yet, none of those wireless providers have provided pre-order information nor pricing details but that’s not that big of a surprise given that it was only unveiled today.
Alright here’s the 411, the HTC 10 will feature: 5.2-inch QHD LCD display, 4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage with microSD slot, Snapdragon 820 processor, 12MP UltraPixel rear camera (f/1.8, 1.55um), full-metal body, fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C, BoomSound speakers, and Android 6.0 and for the “bell and whistle” it will ship with HTC’s newest version of its Sense skin.
HTC is claiming that no phone opens apps faster and they seem pretty pleased with themselves for offering a new direction in audio with hi-res support.
From the pictures released, it does look like a beautiful phone. The full-metal body design merges seamlessly with the full-glass front. HTC promises that the HTC 10 will handle normal use without getting scratched and dinged up in a manner that sees it lose its luster and takes away from its artful design.
HTC 10, camera and sound
HTC believes that they have put the best smartphone camera on the market into the HTC 10 with optically stabilized, larger aperture f/1.8 lenses on both the front and rear cameras with massive sensors and 12 million “UltraPixels (1.55um per pixel).” Additionally, the rear camera is equipped with an ultra-fast laser autofocus feature as well as a wide angle lens and a few other bells and whistles I don’t much understand.
HTC’s new rear camera is meant to open in just over a half-a-second almost ensuring you won’t miss much given that all the settings are right there at your fingertips. There are also a number of advanced options of the “professional” photographer.
In addition to the 4K video that the HTC 10 will offer, the company has rolled-out the world’s first 24-bit stereo sound with Hi-Res audio recording that promises to capture 256 times than standard recordings offering over twice the frequency range of the same standard recordings. HTC is essentially claiming that the HTC 10 can function as a voice-over recording studio or ideal for interview situations.
The headphone amp offers twice the power of a conventional amp for the audiophile or someone that just likes their music loud. The company is also promising somewhere between little and no distortion. The HTC flagship will also come with the all-new Personal Audio Profile system which allows you to adjust your music to the way that YOU hear music. If not using headphones, the HTC 10 promises fantastic sound with separated tweeters and woofer with a dedicated amp for each speaker.
Display and other features
The new phone is boasting 30% more color from its 5.2-inch QHD LCD display while promising a 50% more responsiveness to the touch than the last flagship from HTC. The fingerprint scanner promises security and speed with the phone opening in 0.2 seconds after it learns more about you.
Enhanced 4G LTE will keep you connected while the battery has been given a number of tools to keep power use to a minimum. HTC claims that it has increased battery life by 30% over its predecessor and will run for two days on a single charge.
A half-charge can be delivered in 30 minutes with the in-box quick charge 3.0 Rapid Charger.
HTC has also worked with Google to give you the software package you want without redundancies and bloatware. The “Freestyle Layout” will allow the user to make their home screen THEIR home screen without a grid dictating a layout to the person that just bought the phone. HTC Themes will offer thousands of templates for you to personalize your phones appearance.
To be clear, I’ve not handled the phone so this is by no means a review. This is just a simple understanding of what the company claims the phone will offer. When we get our hands on one for review, we’ll make sure you are privy to our unbiased road test of this new flagship from HTC.
But on the surface, it looks a lovely piece of smartphone technology.
