HTC has surprised everyone by launching not one, but two new Android handsets.
Okay, maybe not a complete surprise: the Taiwanese company had hinted that something would be unveiled yesterday, and sure enough it’s the HTC U19e and U19 Plus.
If two phones from a company many considered to be finished in the smartphone space is a surprise, then the actual form they’ve taken is less so: these are distinctly midrange affairs, without any ambition to take on Apple and Samsung at the top of the tree.
First up, there’s the HTC U19e. It’s a 6-inch Snapdragon 710-powered device, with 6GB RAM, 128GB of onboard storage and a 3930mAh battery. Specswise, that sounds remarkably similar to the Oppo RX17 Pro, so maybe check that review for a preview on performance.
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One area it differs is the camera, though. The U19e has a dual-camera array on the back, with a 12-megapixel f/1.8 snapper supported by a 20-megapixel f/2.6 2x telephoto lens. Round the front there’s a 24-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera, accompanied by a 2-megapixel iris scanner for another way of unlocking.
Oddly considering the name, the HTC U19 Plus is the cheaper handset – something made extra confusing by the fact that Samsung puts an ‘e’ at the end of its cheapest Galaxy S10. Anyway, the U19 Plus is a 6.2-inch device, powered by a MediaTek P35 processor, backed by 4/6GB RAM and a 3850mAh battery.
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Interestingly for a midranger, it comes with a triple-camera setup, with a 13-megapixel main sensor, supported by an 8-megapixel ultrawide angle lens and a 5-megapixel depth sensor.
Both phones will be on sale in July, but we’ve only had a release in HTC’s native Taiwan confirmed so far. The U19e will go for TWD 10,990 (around £275), while the U19 Plus will sell for TWD 9,990 (around £250).
Was it worth HTC coming back? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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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.