HTC U11, which was launched on Tuesday, May 16 at an event in Taiwan, China, may get updated to Android O, the codename given to Google’s’ yet-to-be-launched mobile operating software and successor to Android Nougat. The news was first revealed by TrustedReviews. The publication stated that Chailin Chang, president of HTC’s smartphones and connected devices division, promised that the newly-launched smartphone would be getting the next two versions of Android.
HTC U11 up for Android O upgrade?
The statement was made during the HTC U11’s press meet and can be taken as an official confirmation of the update arrival.
The new smartphone comes with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and the announcement of the software upgrade was made right before the commencement of Google I/O 2017 conference, where the company generally releases the new Android version. Thus is one connects the dots, it easily means that HTC U11 is up to receive the new OS after it will be unveiled by Google.
The developer preview of the new Android OS – codenamed Android O or Android Oreo – is currently available. However, the detailed information pertaining to the final version of the software – including the name – is yet to be revealed. Chang added the HTC is considering extending the number of Software Updates from two to three, depending on the hardware and software of the smartphone, along with the value it will add for the consumer.
HTC U11: specs and features
The HTC U11 has presently been launched for the European market for 749 Euros. However, a U.S. launch may follow shortly after. The newly-launched smartphone rocks a 5.5-Inch Quad HD display with Gorilla Glass 5. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC and comes in two variants of 4 GB and 6 GB of RAM.
In terms of internal storage, the successor of HTC 10 comes in 64 GB and 128 GB options. Users have been provided with the option of expanding the smartphone’s memory capacity up to 2 TB with the help of a microSD card. Fueled by a 3,000 mAh battery, the HTC U11 sports a 12-megapixel rear camera and 16- megapixel front-facing shooter.
The handset comes with dust and water protection certifications and does not come with a headphone jack.
In line with the rumors, the uniqueness of the HTC U11 lies in the feature “Edge Sense” that has been incorporated in the phone. The Edge Sense enables a user to communicate with the phone by squeezing its sides. A light squeeze has been designed to open one specific function while a harder squeeze opens another app.