The HTC Ocean may finally see the light of day as the HTC U in mid to late April this year if a new report is to be believed. The elusive handset has been at the center of much discussion over the past few months because of a mysterious new feature called Edge Sense.
A source familiar with HTC’s plans claims that Edge Sense will be the technological centerpiece of the HTC U. The smartphone’s metal frame has apparently been embedded with sensors. This innovation allows users to perform various gestures like squeezing, swiping, or tapping along the sides to get things done.
Edge Sense was previously shown off in a couple of leaked videos that featured people simply swiping up and down on either side of an HTC device to trigger apps like Camera or Yelp. An earlier report had gotten hold of a screenshot of a Settings page that had an Edge Sense option, complete with an illustration of a finger positioned next to a phone.
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VentureBeat believes that the HTC U will run on Android 7.1 Nougat with the company’s Sense 9 on top. It could be powered by a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835 SoC and showcase its visuals through a 5.5-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440p) display.
As for its photography specs, HTC might be blessing the smartphone with a 12MP Sony IMX362 rear camera and 16MP Sony IMX351 selfie snapper. It may be sold in 64GB and 128GB options. Users will likely be able to expand storage via a microSD card slot.
If all goes as predicted, the HTC U will hit stores in early May after its April unveiling.