HTC U12+ marks the company’s return to the premium smartphone arena, featuring an array of exciting new features and improvements over its predecessors.HTC, once a dominant player in the smartphone industry, has been making efforts to reclaim its position in the market with innovative designs and cutting-edge technology.
HTC U12+ Design: A sleek and premium build
The HTC U12+ continues HTC’s tradition of offering high-quality design, with a premium glass body and sleek curved edges. Available in stunning colors like Translucent Blue and Ceramic Black, the U12+ exudes a sense of sophistication and elegance. The translucent version is particularly eye-catching, as it allows users to see part of the internal components of the phone, adding a futuristic touch to its overall design.
The phone has a 6-inch Super LCD6 display with a 2880 x 1440 resolution, delivering sharp and vibrant visuals. The screen is nearly bezel-less, giving it a modern look while also offering an immersive viewing experience. The U12+ also features a taller 18:9 aspect ratio, making it more comfortable to hold in one hand despite the larger display size.
Performance: Powerful hardware and software integration
Under the hood, the HTC U12+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, one of the most powerful processors available at the time of release. This ensures fast performance, smooth multitasking, and a great gaming experience. With 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, the U12+ offers plenty of space for apps, media, and games.
HTC has also included a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand the storage further, a feature that is becoming increasingly rare in flagship devices. Whether you’re a power user or someone who simply needs more space, the U12+ provides ample options.
Running on Android 8.0 Oreo with HTC’s Sense UI skin on top, the U12+ offers a clean and intuitive user interface. HTC has continued to improve its software over the years, and with the U12+, users can enjoy a near-stock Android experience with a few added enhancements, such as the Edge Sense feature.
Edge sense: A game-changing interaction
One of the standout features of the HTC U12+ is its Edge Sense 2 technology, which was first introduced in the HTC U11. This innovative feature allows users to interact with their phone by simply squeezing the edges. With the U12+, HTC has improved Edge Sense 2 to make it more versatile. Users can now perform different tasks like launching apps, activating the camera, or even controlling the volume by squeezing the sides of the device.
Additionally, HTC has introduced a feature called “Edge Sense for Apps,” which enables users to assign specific functions to the squeeze gesture within supported apps. This added customization enhances the overall user experience, offering a more intuitive and tactile way to control your phone.
Camera: Dual lenses with impressive capabilities
HTC has always focused on providing high-quality cameras in its devices, and the U12+ is no exception. The phone features a dual-camera setup on both the front and the back, a rarity at the time of its release.
On the rear, the U12+ features a 12MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a 16MP telephoto camera with an f/2.6 aperture. This setup allows for excellent bokeh effects and a wide variety of photography options, from standard shots to optical zoom. The rear camera is also equipped with UltraSpeed Autofocus 2, ensuring fast and accurate focusing, even in challenging conditions.
The front camera features a dual-lens setup with 8MP sensors, allowing for detailed and high-quality selfies with a wide-angle perspective. HTC also incorporated HDR Boost and other software enhancements to ensure your photos look stunning in any lighting conditions.
Audio: BoomSound and high-fidelity playback
HTC has long been known for its excellent audio quality, and the U12+ continues that tradition. The device comes with HTC’s signature BoomSound Hi-Fi audio system, providing loud, clear, and balanced sound without the need for external speakers. The stereo speakers on the U12+ are tuned to deliver enhanced audio quality, making it one of the best phones for media consumption.
Additionally, HTC has included a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that has become increasingly rare in flagship devices. This is a welcome addition for audio enthusiasts who prefer wired headphones or want to use their existing audio gear without needing an adapter.
Battery life and charging: Reliable performance
The HTC U12+ is equipped with a 3500mAh battery, which, combined with the Snapdragon 845’s power-efficient architecture, provides solid battery life. On a typical day, users can expect the phone to last through a full day of moderate use, including web browsing, social media, and video streaming.
For charging, the U12+ supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, allowing the phone to charge quickly. The phone also features USB Type-C for fast data transfer and charging. While the U12+ lacks wireless charging, it still offers a convenient and efficient way to keep the device powered throughout the day.
Software and updates: A clean android experience
HTC has committed to providing regular software updates, although the company has not been as quick as some of its competitors in terms of pushing out the latest Android versions. However, the U12+ does ship with Android 8.0 Oreo, and it is expected to receive Android 9.0 Pie and beyond.
HTC’s Sense UI is minimal, ensuring that users get a relatively clean Android experience. While there are some added features, such as the HTC Themes for personalization, the overall software feels closer to stock Android than other manufacturers’ heavy skins.
HTC U12+ Conclusion:
The HTC U12+ is an impressive smartphone that offers a blend of cutting-edge technology, design, and user-friendly features. The Edge Sense 2 technology, dual-camera setup, and BoomSound audio make it stand out from other flagship devices, while its powerful internals and high-quality display ensure that it can compete with the best in the market.
Although HTC has faced intense competition from brands like Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus, the U12+ represents a solid effort to reestablish the company as a major player in the smartphone industry. Whether you’re looking for a phone with great design, performance, or innovative features, the HTC U12+ offers a comprehensive package that is worth considering.
