The HTC 10 Is A Serious Competitor to iPhone 6S and Galaxy S7

Did you know that HTC was the first Android phone maker in the world? Quite an honor for a company which has declined quickly into the background over the past couple of years. That’s where the new HTC 10 steps in, a phone aiming to bring back HTC’s glory days during Android’s inception.

So what’s changed?

One of the most-striking changes on the HTC 10 is the surface itself, which was important since it forms the basis of first impressions. There are chamfered edges around the 5.2” Quad HD Super LCD 5 Display (which is 30% brighter), as well as steeper edges towards the back for a better grip.

It borrows slightly from past HTC designs, but while the last flagship, One M9, looked majorly like the One (M8) (and the A9, don’t fool yourself, like a Chinese iPhone knockoff), the HTC 10 brings some much needed changes to the table.

The physical capacitive keys are back, as is the home button, which also incorporates a fingerprint scanner. At the top you’ll also find a more prominent selfie camera, which is understandable if you consider its optical image stabilization.

So here it is; the aluminum design isn’t groundbreaking and maybe not even the best looking (that’s entirely subjective, we understand), but it is still hard to argue that it is not better than it used to be.

Sound matters

Another hardware change comes in the form of newer BoomSound Hi-Fi audio system. They now comprise a tweeter (at the top, for higher frequencies) and a woofer (at the bottom, for lower frequencies) which allows for a more seamless face.

All the audio on the phone is upscaled to 24-bit with a high quality DAC, which will sound great with better quality headphones. A new Personal Audio Profile System will automatically adjust all music files to cater to your preferences.

The headphone amp captures twice the amount of standard amps and ten times lesser distortion than competing devices. The new bundled pair also have an 8 µm aerospace polymer diaphragm 70 percent oversized drivers.

Apple Airplay support, on Android

For the first time on a Google device, you get official AirPlay support. There are ways to get it on Android through unofficial means from third-party apps, but to get it directly from Apple is still a major deal.

This functionality will allow you to stream audio from Apple TV and supporting speakers, a functionality which will continue to evolve as Apple updates its specifications. If anything, this is one of the biggest distinguishing features compared to other flagships.

Fret not, it is still fast

While HTC’s phones have always been rather brisk, the HTC 10 ups the ante with an Snapdragon 820 processor, with 4 GB RAM and 32/64 GB storage. All of them still support 2 TB memory cards.

That should be more than enough to push the 5.2” 1440p display through the most exhausting of games. A 3,000 mAh battery can be found onboard, with the ability to charge to within 50 percent of its capacity in just 30 minutes.

The camera here is a 12 MP UltraPixel sensor with large 1.55µm pixels, f/1.8, OIS and laser autofocus. 12-bit RAW, 4K video with 24-bit audio and LED Flash are also there. As told earlier, there’s a 5 MP OIS selfie camera too.

Software tweaks are in place

The HTC 10 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is stockier than before. Blinkfeed and other customizations are also there. There’s a new freestyle theme which does away with traditional app grids and places stickers in their place for accessing apps.

HTC’s customizations aren’t one of our favourites, but this time it might have finally nailed them.

Extravagance costs

Of course, the phone doesn’t come cheap. At $699 for the 32 GB model, it is easily more expensive than the Galaxy S7. HTC’s devices are obviously never considered to be cheaper than their counterparts, as was clear in the case of the One A9 but at least you won’t have any buyer’s remorse after your purchase.

HTC 10 Specifications:

• CPU: 2.15 Ghz dual-core Kryo plus 1.6 Ghz dual-core Kryo
• GPU: Adreno 530
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
• OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Sense UI
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE
• Design: Aluminum with chamfered edges
• Display: 5.2” Super LCD 5 with 1440p resolution (2560 x 1440)
• Corning Gorilla Glass 4
• Memory: RAM: 4 GB / Internal: 32/64 GB
• Card slot: yes, up to 2 TB
• Camera: Primary: 12 MP, OIS, f/1.8, 2^nd-gen laser autofocus, 1.55µm pixels / Secondary: 5 MP OIS
• 4K video recording, LED Flash, RAW capture
• Connectivity: USB Type-C
• Battery: 3,000 mAh with Quick Charge 3.0
• Price: $699 (approx. Rs. 73,ooo)

Image Credits: Official HTC Press Shots

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