There's something very special about HTC. Every time you write it off, it bounces back; for better or for worse. Over the years, the Taiwanese major -- responsible for making the 'smart' phone look good -- has made some really good phones and some really great phones. It has made some bad phones too. But, what's important is, it has never stopped trying. It doesn't matter if its phones make money or not. Last year's HTC 10 was probably the best Android phone that no one was buying. Multiple reports that HTC was pulling the plug on its smartphone business were making headlines up until recently. All this while, HTC was silently working on its future portfolio. To cut the long story short: HTC wasn't (isn't) done making smartphones yet.
If you thought giving Apple a taste of its own medicine through the A9, and getting rid of its iconic 'One M' moniker through the 10 was the bravest and boldest thing it could ever do, well, you couldn't be more wrong. Enter the HTC U Ultra.
While the One-series was probably designed for one (and all) the U-series from HTC is apparently designed for a more personalised experience. It is supposedly an expression of you, the person who will be using the smartphone, the flagship U Ultra in this case. There's an even more affordable version, the U Play, available for those on a tight budget. Just like Google's Pixel phone, HTC's U Ultra (and U Play) banks heavily on artificial intelligence and machine learning. At a time when big data and cloud computing are becoming more and more relevant, HTC's push for a companion that "isn't only about machine learning, but also an extension of you, the user" couldn't have come any sooner. The virtual assistant is, but, just a tip of the iceberg.
The HTC U Ultra is so beautiful, it hurts
HTC was probably one of the first few companies to come out with a phone boasting of a rounded metal back and plastic antenna inserts. That was a really long time ago. The company has, like clockwork, stuck with metal for its flagship line-up for as long as one can remember. With the U Ultra, however, it has tried something way out of its league. The U Ultra comes with what HTC calls a liquid design wherein the phone is carved out of highly polished glass -- Corning's Gorilla Glass 5 -- that reflects light differently when viewed at different angles. The outer frame is, meanwhile, carved out of metal. That's Samsung territory, some would say and it is. A glass-and-steel sandwich design may not be a new concept, but, there's a certain bit of originality about the U Ultra that only a certain HTC could have conjured. The same is true about its choice of colours.
If you thought giving Apple a taste of its own medicine through the A9, and getting rid of its iconic 'One M' moniker through the 10 was the bravest and boldest thing it could ever do, well, you couldn't be more wrong. Enter the HTC U Ultra
The U Ultra is one trippy smartphone, especially in Sapphire Blue. Brilliant Black and Cosmetic Pink are available for those looking for something (a little) more sober. But whatever colour you chose, remember, you will be the centre of attention when you're out and about. The U Ultra is after all so beautiful, it hurts. It's not a phone that everybody can handle. It's like taking sides. You'd either love it, or you'd absolutely hate it. There's no middle ground.
There are, of course, certain disadvantages to an all-glass design. Even more so in the case of the U Ultra, because well, HTC's new phone is a whole new level of shiny. For one, it's super glossy and accumulates fingerprints by the millisecond. Secondly, it's super slippery. And last but not the least; it doesn't look like it could take a beating. Then again, HTC has a solution for all these problems. The phone ships with a transparent back cover in the box to begin with. The phone also comes with a one-year insurance that covers liquid damage and any physical damage to the phone. Note that companies like Apple do not cover liquid damage even for a water-resistant phone like the iPhone 7. If only the U Ultra was (also) water-resistant. Sigh!
Deep inside, the U Ultra is still trademark HTC, which means it's got some of the chunkiest bezels around. At a time when rivals -- Samsung and LG -- have joined hands to get rid of them, HTC's sheer fascination for them is a little hard to understand. Also, HTC could have shaved off some of that camera bulge on the rear. But then these are nit-pickings, and not necessarily deal breakers. What is in fact a deal breaker though, is that the U Ultra is a pretty gigantic phablet. Much like the Google Pixel XL is, which is again, made by HTC. It's thick and it's kind of heavy to an extent that it hurts. Even more so because Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge, with similar kind of build materials, is a lot more compact in comparison.
Adding to its woes are some noticeably recessed power and volume buttons. You'd have to have big hands for one to operate this phone; also, you'd have to give its buttons a lot of attention to make them do the talking. It would have been nicer if folks who designed the U Ultra had given some due thought to its ergonomics as well.
The HTC U Ultra has a gorgeous screen, slick performance & capable cameras
The U Ultra comes with a 5.7-inch screen with a Quad-HD (1440x2560 pixels) resolution. The panel, a Super LCD 5, is the same that HTC used in the 10 and it's still as gorgeous as ever. HTC says its LCD 5 panel is 30 per cent more colourful and 50 per cent more responsive to touch than its predecessor. The difference will be indiscernible to most users, but there is, a difference nonetheless.
HTC seems to have gotten things right as far as colours are concerned and I liked that it's more neutral in comparison to say the Galaxy S7 Edge and the Pixel. Colours look every bit as rich and vibrant, if not as oversaturated and eye-popping. The phone has excellent viewing angles and outdoor legibility is also spot on. There's an option to manually correct colour temperature and a night-mode that turns them to the warmer end of the spectrum when enabled.
The 10, similarly, had a fantastic display but the only quibble I had with it was the lack of an always-on feature. The U Ultra has one, although, its implementation is not something I am very fond of. The phone has a secondary ticker screen right above the main display -- something on the lines of an LG V20 -- which has a 160x1040 pixels resolution. While not exactly always-on -- it works only when you lift the phone or when a new notification arrives -- it's a useful, if not the most original, addition nonetheless. It is capable of showing your top contacts, app shortcuts, calendar reminders, notifications and possibly everything that you would want to view quickly and in a discreet manner without lighting the screen.
But, if you're willing to give the U Ultra a chance, well, there's not a lot really to complain about HTC's new phone as far as all-round performance is concerned. A combination of high-end hardware and slick, bloat-free software ensures the U Ultra runs smooth as butter, and has absolutely no trouble whatsoever in dealing with tasks, both basic and hard-grinding. Graphical games are handled well, with no lag at all, even at maxed out settings. There would be instances when the phone would get hot -- sometimes alarmingly -- while say playing games, or video-recording, but it is also very quick to cool down which is nice.
The U Ultra basically ships with the same rear camera that's inside the 10 and adds phase detection autofocus to it. You therefore get a 12-megapixel 'UltraPixel' camera with f/1.8 aperture, laser autofocus, Optical Image Stabilisation and dual-LED flash. HTC's UltraPixel sensor is notorious for allowing more light into the lens, technically resulting in brighter photos. This in tandem with OIS should technically entail in the best Android flagship camera phone of the year. Well it's not. But it isn't too bad either. The only quibble I have is that it isn't very different from the 10. It is faster to focus, and also low-light photos come out better, sure, but it's still as inconsistent as the 10.
Normally, it would go about clicking pretty detailed photos in varied light conditions (even tricky and low light) without losing a breath. Then all of a sudden, it would overexpose a shot leaving behind blown out highlights and throwing colours totally off guard.
The camera app has been revamped, sort of, but not drastically which is nice. It is (still) pretty well-equipped -- replete with 4K (with Hi-Res Audio), RAW support and full-on Pro modes -- and boasts of one of the best navigation schemes I've seen in a flagship smartphone. Also, it's up and running in a jiffy. In fact, the whole thing (including autofocus and shutter speed) works like a speeding bullet. Note that the U Ultra clicks 16:9 photos at 9-megapixel and 4:3 photos at full 12-megapixel. There's also an option to click perfect 1:1 square photos at 9-megapixel. Additionally, HTC has also incorporated four always-on low-power microphones inside the phone to assist in recording 3D audio while shooting videos.
The U Ultra compensates for its hit and miss rear camera by giving you the best front-facing camera on-board any high-end flagship phone right now. The phone has a 16-megapixel front-camera that shoots selfies in 4:3 format. Alternatively, there's also an option to switch to UltraPixel (again 4:3) to aid low-light selfies. The result: the U Ultra clicks some amazing and detailed selfies, even in tricky light situations.
The HTC U Ultra has outstanding audio credentials
The U Ultra is capable of churning out fabulous audio, over headphones. The phone comes with a sonar-based audio system, called U-Sonic -- because, BoomSound was apparently in dire need of a paint job -- over headphones, that is claimed to deliver true(r) sound that is also capable of adapting to the user. There is, however, a catch. It does not have a standard 3.5mm audio jack and instead has (only) a single USB Type-C out for charging, data syncing and high-res audio out. The technology, also, works only with compatible USB-C headphones. No strike that. The technology, also, works only with compatible USB-C headphones that HTC ships in the box. You can blame Apple all you want for it, but, I like to call it the LeEco syndrome.
On paper, U-Sonic creates a profile for you and then scans both your ears. There's a difference in frequency between both the ears. The technology sends sonar waves into the listener's eardrum and based on that it then normalises the frequency. So ideally you hear the music the way it's supposed to sound. Moreover, a mic on-board the ear-buds constantly listens to the ambient noise available and then increases or decreases the output volume accordingly. It's not too bad, but, not downright brilliant as well. Plus I don't like the fact that U-Sonic will be useless without proprietary headphones.
The U Ultra, in addition, also supports BoomSound Hi-Fi sound technology via a mono speaker out located on the lower edge of the phone. The setup is pretty similar to the one on-board the 10 which means you get a separate tweeter and subwoofer each with their own dedicated amplifier. The result is good enough, but the iPhone 7 with its stereo speaker setup still gets my vote.
And, something to look forward to
The U Ultra's biggest killer feature -- the Sense Companion AI -- exists only on paper for now . "It will be available for download very soon via a system update. We are still tweaking and fine-tuning it. We are trying to get it out as quickly as possible," Faisal Siddiqui who is president of HTC South Asia confirmed to India Today Tech.
The Sense Companion "can suggest that you dress warmer and leave a little earlier for work if snow is forecast; remind you to take a power bank on longer trips; and even recommend a restaurant when you're away for the weekend and then book seats for you. Best of all, it's made to evolve and get to know you better over time," according to HTC. Moreover, HTC also claims that the U Ultra's secondary screen is capable of learning (and evolving) with time and is an extension to its Companion feature.
Since the feature isn't live yet, anything and everything that it can do (in future) cannot be independently confirmed for now. Rest assured, we will update this review as soon as Sense Companion is up and running on the U Ultra.
Should you buy it?
The HTC 10 was a pretty fabulous smartphone. In fact, the best from camp HTC in a long, long time. The U Ultra is simply a more powerful and beautiful version of it. It could be a whole lot smarter too, in the days to come, when HTC rolls out Sense Companion. Chances are if you liked the 10, you'd like the U Ultra as well even at its atrocious price of Rs 59,990. If not, the Google Pixel XL sells at around the same price and it already has Google Assistant (which by the way will be coming to the HTC 10 soon), similar hardware, better rear camera but no microSD card support. Alternatively, the iPhone 7 Plus comes with water-proofing and better audio. Clearly, you win some and you lose some.
The U Ultra by all means isn't a perfect smartphone, just like the ones I mentioned above. It has all the bells and whistles of a top-tier flagship, and it's safe to say that it delivers on almost every front as well (save the battery life, which honestly sucks). Problem is, it is a little late to the party. The LG G6 is coming and so is the Samsung Galaxy S8 and both these phones could spoil HTC's fortunes. Remember how I said the 10 was probably the best Android phone that no one was buying? A similar fate awaits the U Ultra as well. Still, I hope HTC never quits trying.
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