HTC is holding a dedicated event this Thursday where it is expected to introduce new smartphones, but it remains unclear just what we’re going to see.
Many are expecting to see a follow up to last year’s HTC 10, in the form of the HTC 11, while some reports claim the company is preparing to unveil a new phablet in an attempt to fill the void left by the Note 7, along with some mid-range devices.
Last week, a tweet from ROM developer and known HTC leaker @LlabTooFeR, stated the company would unveil three new devices: the One X10, code-named HTC Alpine, the HTC 11, code-named the HTC E66, and the HTC Ocean Note.
https://twitter.com/statuses/816994650871439363
However, a report from Gadgets360 claims, based on information from Onleaks, that the Ocean Note, otherwise known as the HTC U Ultra will be the main handset to launch, backed up by two mid-range devices.
The first of these mid-rangers is said to be the HTC Alpine, which will apparently be called the HTC U Play – a smaller, less capable version of the Ocean Note.
This handset is expected to come without a headphone jack and feature a 5.2-inch display, as opposed to the 6-inch version on the Ocean Note.
The other mid-ranger is said to be the HTC One X10 – a follow-up to the One X9 that is expected to sport a 5.5-inch screen and a MediaTek octa-core chip.
https://twitter.com/statuses/817299363143806976
All of which seems reasonable enough, but if the Ocean Note isn’t the long-awaited HTC 11, it would seem unusual for the company to introduce two other mid-rangers.
Which has us leaning more towards @LlabTooFeR’s prediction of a phablet, flagship, and mid-ranger being unveiled on January 12.
Whatever the case, it’s clear no one knows for sure what HTC is planning for its event this week. And if that wasn’t confusing enough, there’s more.
Another reputable leaker, Evan Blass, aka @evleaks, took to Twitter over the weekend to post a video purporting to show the HTC Ocean, which has previously been thought to be the HTC 11’s codename, in action.
https://twitter.com/statuses/817960356035383297
The clip shows a couple wandering around a city using the phone in question, but there’s very little in the way of details beyond what appears to be a new way of controlling the phone.
In the video, the couple uses the edge of the device to bring up a quick-access menu, though it should be noted that Blass has stated the video is not the official promotional trailer for the Ocean phone.
He did, however, state that the phone in the clip is distinct from the rumoured Ocean Note device, once again hinting that @LlabTooFeR’s prediction is the more accurate one and that the Ocean will be the HTC 11, while the Ocean Note will be the phablet.
We’ll have more in the near future so stay tuned for the latest.
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Let us know what you’re expecting from the HTC event in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
