The HTC U12+: an invisible design and pressure-sensitive sides
23.5.2018
Many predicted its demise, yet HTC still exists. In fact, the company has just released the HTC U12+. We explain why this new phone is an evolution rather than a revolution.
The almost transparent design of the successor to the HTC U11 and U11+ is eye-catching.
"Consumers like to admire the inside of a smartphone. They don't have access to it if the case isn't transparent," says Fabian Nappenbach, Director Product Marketing Europe at HTC.
He's right. The battery at the bottom, the camera lens at the top, a cable running along the back... The smartphone presented by HTC during its pre-launch event held at the 25hours Hotel in Zurich is unique. And the "Blue" in the "Translucent Blue" colour is thankfully not as transparent as the Gameboy Color was.
The people in charge weren't sure how successful this design would be when the U11's transparent limited edition went on sale last year. However, the feedback was so positive that the transparent version was directly selected for the new flagship. So you'll mostly see the transparent blue phone in ads.
Fabian Nappenbach hopes that HTC's smartphones will regain their place as pioneers, at least when it comes to design. He has clear expectations: "We'd like customers to immediately recognise our phones when they see our ads."
An underrated company
Let's go back an hour. The word "pioneer" was not chosen by chance. Indeed, HTC was once considered a smartphone pioneer, before its South Korean and American rivals, Samsung and Apple to name but a few, took over. The Taiwanese company saw its sales plummet, and had to make do with the limited market share it had left. Last year, Google got its hands on its designers and patents valued at nearly a billion dollars. Not to mention the influence of Chinese smartphones.
It was a difficult time for HTC.
It was predicted to fall, and now it's back with its U12+. One thing's clear: it has no intention of quitting the smartphone industry.
It's been a tough time for HTC.
The phone is sensitive... motion sensitive
Fabian Nappenbach is lively, friendly, and his style - jeans and a woollen waistcoat - perfect for the relaxed atmosphere of the colourful 'Zunftstube' meeting room, designed to seat 20 people. We're a small committee: only our video producer Stephanie Tresch, the four members of the NTC team and myself have gathered around Mr Nappenbach, whose infectious enthusiasm quickly overcomes any initial minor unease.
He begins by giving us an overview of the phone's hardware features:
- Android 8 Oreo, upgrade to Android P possible (date unknown)
- IP68 protection rating
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB of working memory
- Adreno 630 graphics processor
- 64GB internal memory, 128GB optional, expandable up to 2TB
- dual SIM: yes, hybrid port
- 3500 mAh battery
"A rectangular case with excellent hardware is quick to make and fairly easy to imitate," says Nappenbach, "so we asked ourselves how we could stand out."
He then shows us the new HTC U12+ for the first time. HTC's advertising slogan, "Live on the Edge" - which more or less equates to "vivre dangereusement" in French, appears on the screen. It's a play on words with the Edge Sense feature untranslatable into French. "A problem I happily leave to our translators," he comments with a smile.
Edge Sense refers to the sensitive sides that the previous model already had. All sorts of functions can be accessed by pressing or clicking on the sides of the device. The technology on the new phone is called Edge Sense 2, as new gestures have been added, expanding the functions.
Here's a concrete example: imagine you're walking down the street and have only one hand free. You double-click on one side to open a carousel of predefined applications on the screen. A simple but useful idea. And that's not all. By pressing both sides simultaneously, you can open your favourite app, then set it to rotate up or down with a simple double-click on the side.
"We'll continue to develop the concept in the future; we're not short of ideas," Nappenbach tells us. The U11's Edge Sense technology didn't feel quite ready to us. The U12+'s Edge Sense 2 seems to have made progress.
Edge Sense isn't quite there yet.
In the camera app, you can't zoom in or by touching the sides. The same gestures could adjust the volume in a music app. And a double or even triple click could turn the screen on and off. If HTC were completely consistent, it would do away with the side buttons and integrate their functions with Edge Sense technology.
This would be a truly one-of-a-kind design.
Two cameras in one
Mr Nappenbach moves on to the camera: "I have to admit that in recent years our customers were never quite sure which camera they were going to get." He's referring to the bad reputation of older versions of the camera. Those of the HTC One M8 or the HTC One M9, for example. DxOMark gave them scores of 68 (in English) from 69 (in English) or 78 (in English). The situation has completely changed since the U11 became all the rage, earning it a score of 90 (in English).
The hardware in a nutshell:
- primary lens sensor: 12.2MP UltraPixel 4 with f/1.75 aperture and 25mm focal length, optical image optimisation and digital image stabiliser
- secondary lens sensor: 16 MP telephoto lens with f/2.6 aperture and 50 mm focal length and real-time bokeh mode
- Front lens: dual lens, f/2.0 aperture and 28mm focal length
- Google Lense - intelligent image analysis
The U12+ features dual lenses on the front and rear. HTC has tested this system in the past, but the implementation was unsatisfactory, as Nappenbach tells us: "The technology wasn't perfected yet."
The dual-lens system is making a big comeback. "We collaborated with DxOMark from the early stages of development."
He assures us that HTC will build on the success of the U11. Visibly, the U12+ has achieved the best score a dual-lens system has ever received, but we'll have to wait until the phone has launched before we have access to official figures and results.
I think a test is on the horizon...
We can finally touch the phone
This pre-launch isn't a huge Samsung or Huawei event; there aren't hundreds of us waiting to get our hands on the phone. We're quietly discovering it.
The Liquid Surface design jumps out at you: the front and back are made of glass, which rounds off the edges. Its 188g doesn't make it a lightweight device, but it still fits well in the hand. Let's see what the camera has in store for us.
At first glance, the image quality is good, although it's hard to tell in the dark foyer of the 25hours hotel with its dark red armchairs and cushions. Visibly, the rear lens makes images taken in dark rooms relatively sharp. The U12+ has a double optical zoom, and even a 10x digital zoom. Artificial intelligence - ubiquitous, these days - ensures that even images taken with a high zoom value contain enough information not to be too pixelated or angular.
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The camera also features a real-time bokeh effect: when the bokeh function - artificial depth of field, that is - is activated you can see the result directly in the viewfinder. The application calculates the effect with the blurred background in real time, not after the shot has been taken. In pro mode, you can adjust the ISO settings and white balance yourself. As we don't have the final version in our hands, we're not allowed to publish the photos taken. Shame.
Why are they all moving away from the video app?
Fabian Nappenbach concludes with the video application. In his opinion, it's far too neglected by smartphone manufacturers: "Have you noticed the number of videos posted on Facebook? It seems that people appreciate them as much as beautiful photos."
Some features:
- 4K recording with 60 fps image stabilisation
- stabilised hyperlapse acceleration
- continuous zoom up to x 4
- slow motion video (1080p/240 fps)
- 3D audio recording and audio zoom
What does continuous zoom mean? When you're filming, you can zoom in and out manually or automatically, continuously. All you have to do is lightly swipe your finger across the screen. Thanks to this function, zooming in is no longer as awkward and dramatic as the example below.
Ah, and HTC will also be shipping its U12+ with USonic USB-C headphones with noise cancellation enabled.
An interesting development, but not a revolution
The HTC U12+ is a great phone. We had a good feeling about it and we weren't wrong. Not only does it look great - especially the transparent version - but it also performs very well. A flagship product, what.
With Edge Sense 2, HTC is trying to offer something unique: sides that react to movement and gestures. How useful this feature will be in everyday use remains to be seen.
The dual lens system is very promising. Our initial tests convinced us, but I'd like to know what DxOMark's super score is worth. There's obviously only one way to find out... All that's left now is to see the U12+ appear on my desk.
Is it that hard to get one?
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.»
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