HTC 10 announced
The HTC 10 was finally unveiled to the world during a press conference today in Seattle.
This device is set to take on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 for Android phone of the year.
HTC dropped their iconic, but aging, ‘One’ moniker this year. Their next few flagship devices will now most likely be going by the ’10’ naming convention.
In the official press release, the 10 series is all about, “symbolizing greatness and independence but also that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
One could infer that HTC is trying to make their latest and greatest device completely independent of its predecessor, the HTC One M9. The One M9 had less-than-expected sales numbers in 2015 and HTC might be diverting attention from the One series of yesteryear.
There are a few standout features that really separate the HTC 10 from the One M9. The lack of front-facing stereo speakers is the most noticeable.
However HTC has changed their design strategy for their BoomSound speakers. Instead of a stereo listening experience, users will now have a dedicated tweeter speaker for the mid to high notes and a dedicated woofer speaker for the mid to lows. The tweeter is located in the earpiece while the woofer is on the bottom with the updated USB3.1 C port.
Each speaker has its own amplifier which helps to boost audio output. Music should be louder and clearer.
If you prefer headphones the HTC 10 comes with a headphone amp that, “delivers two times the power” of typical amps. A more powerful amp will help drive high-end headphones that normally have higher impedances. In the past users would have to either turn up the volume to be able to hear their music or buy an external amplifier.
HTC 10 camera and headphone amp
You can store all your music on an SD card up to two terabytes in size, but realistically that means being able to use the biggest card size available which is roughly 200GB.
Internal storage is limited to 32GB along with 4GB of RAM. Multitasking and running apps should be a breeze.
Another big update is the inclusion of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) for both the front and back cameras. Pictures taken on the HTC 10 should be sharper because the lens can freely stabilize itself to compensate for sudden movements. Most smartphones stabilize their cameras using digital software which can lead to blur.
The camera comes with a f/1.8 aperture which means a lot of light will hit the sensor resulting in brighter, more colorful pictures.
HTC 10 side
Picking up and holding the 10 apparently is easier because of a double chamfered edge. HTC put this new aluminum design to the test by rigorously testing the device in extreme heat and cold environments and dropping it over 10,000 times. Hopefully this means you can get away with a few extra accidental drops yourself without worry about destroying your expensive phone.
Should you need a screen replacement HTC will give you one freebie within 12 months of your purchase. Also included in their “Uh Oh Protection” is water damage and bootloader unlocking. Yes, if you happen to mess something up with the bootloader HTC will help you out.
The HTC 10 will come with a 5.2 inch 1440p LCD screen, a 3000 mAh battery and a quad-core processor to power the Marshmallow-equipped device. With this combination of power sipping components HTC says that the 10 should get two days of battery life.
You can preorder an HTC 10 starting today for $699. They will start shipping in early May.
Take note that this is only for the unlocked version sold directly from HTC which is only compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile networks. Verizon Wireless and Sprint customers will have to wait.
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