The HTC 10, a new flagship smartphone, has what the company claims is ‘the best camera on the market’ (although Huawei might disagree – see Huawei Challenges Tier One Phone Makers).
The design is smart but not revolutionarySucceeding 2015’s One M9, the phone boasts a 5MP front camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a 12MP rear camera with dual OIS. DxO, which grades cameras and lenses, gave the HTC 10 a mark of 88: the same awarded to the (well-reviewed) Galaxy S7 camera.
The metal chassis holds a 5.2″ (2560 x 1440) LCD display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass. A fingerprint sensor is featured on the home button, and a 3,000mAh battery, supporting rapid charge, is integrated. HTC says that the battery will last up two days: a 30% improvement over the One M9.
A Snapdragon 820 SoC runs Android 6.0, with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Hardware and software have apparently been ‘optimised’, and the result is a phone that is 50% more responsive than its predecessor.
HTC’s newest feature is a high-resolution audio system. The 10 can both record and play 24-bit audio, as well as upscaling low-res sound. Hi-Res-certified earphones by JBL are bundled in the box, with a noise-cancelling feature powered through the USB-C port.
Google and HTC worked together on the development of the 10, in an effort to cut bloatware. HTC apps are used for email, messaging and the camera, but Google’s own Android apps are used for things like the calendar, photos and music.
HTC is selling the 10 now, for $700.
