'Squeezable' flagship HTC U11 with highest DxO Mobile rated camera debuts in India; price, specifications

Taiwanese smartphone-maker HTC launched the much-anticipated flagship mobile U11 series in India on June 16.

HTC U11 is undoubtedly a unique marquee phone in the market right now. It boasts ultra-sensitive squeezable frame technology, dubbed as the 'Edge Sense', where it makes incorporation of protruding physical buttons obsolete on the chassis. It is able to perform all the functions of physical buttons (power on/off and volume rockers) seen in the current crop of smartphones.

Users can take photos, open Facebook, or launch any of their favourite apps. HTC Edge Sense also gives users the ability to activate advanced touch and use a "short squeeze" as well as a "squeeze and hold" for even more functionality at your fingertips. Since the Edge Sense is based on the pressure applied to the side of the device, it can be used in nearly any condition – including rainy weather that would normally pose a challenge with capacitive buttons.

HTC Edge Sense lets you easily engage with your phone in an unprecedented & intuitive way

• Taking photos - Just lift, squeeze, smile, and snap
• Voice to Text - Lightly squeeze, speak your message and send your texts on the go
• Customize the squeeze gesture: open email with just a squeeze

Besides the industry first Edge Sense technology, HTC U11 also has the distinction of scoring highest DxO Mobile camera of 90 points, thereby displacing Google Pixel series (89), as the best cameraphone in the market.

It boasts 12MP HTC UltraPixel 3 series camera with 1.4μm pixel lens, UltraSpeed Autofocus, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), f/1.7 aperture and Dual LED flash. On the front, it houses 16MP snapper with BSI sensor, Live make-up, Auto Selfie, Voice Selfie, Self-timer up to 10 seconds, HDR Boost and many other capabilities.

HTC U11 features a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core, Adreno 540 graphics engine, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage and a 3,000mAh battery, which can keep the phone running for close to 14 days under standby time and boast Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

HTC U11 price and availability:

The HTC U11 will be available on both online (exclusive to Amazon India) and offline channels in India from the last week of June. It will be offered in Amazing Silver and Brilliant Black colour options for Rs. 51,990.

HTC U11 vs Competition:

HTC U11 will be head-on with Samsung Galaxy S8 series, LG G6, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and soon-to-be-launched OnePlus 5 series.

"We are proud to present our flagship smartphone - HTC U11 which showcases HTC's power of innovation by bringing to discerning customers pioneering technologies that are game-changers in the industry and reflect our strong focus on R&D and Design. HTC U11 comes equipped with unique features like Edge Sense that opens the doors to a whole new world of phone interactions," Faisal Siddiqui, President South Asia, HTC, said in a statement.

"We are particularly proud of the fact that the U11 camera has achieved an incredible DxOMark 90 score, making it the highest rated smartphone ever in DxOMark history also making it the #1 smartphone camera on the market today. We are confident that the HTC U11 will set new industry standards," he added.

Key specifications of HTC 11: