HTC Begins ‘Transformation’, Announces U Ultra: An AI-Powered, Headphone Jack-Less Flagship

HTC, the embattled Taiwanese smartphone maker, is wasting little time in the new year. In a surprising move, the company announced its newest devices today, the U Ultra and U Play, which serve as the beginning of a company-wide “transformation.”
The former of the two devices is the company’s latest flagship and a stark change from last year’s reserved, but excellent, HTC 10. Instead of the familiar all-metal design, the new U phones are entirely glass with a high-gloss effect reminiscent of Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices. The company calls it “Liquid Surface” construction, saying the phones are built out of a material that not only looks like liquid but also imitates its characteristics. I have no idea what that means for a smartphone, though apparently the devices do offer interesting reflections, according to those who have handled them in person.
Aside from the new exterior, the U Ultra packs several other important changes. The first is the unfortunate removal of the headphone jack. Once heralded for its fantastic front-facing stereo speakers and commitment to providing an excellent audio experience (as recently as 2015 with the One A9), HTC has now followed in the footsteps of Motorola and Apple by tossing aside the standard 3.5mm port. Though it is not the first, and certainly not the last, HTC’s disavowal of the headphone jack is a surprising move from a company previously known for its audio prowess.
The second noteable change is the addition of a thin, 2-inch screen above the standard 5.7-inch QHD display. It’s similar in form and function to those found on LG’s V10 and V20, allowing users to quickly access notifications, reminders, shortcuts to favorite contacts and the like.
The biggest change, however, is the push HTC is making in its software this time around. On the 10, the Sense experience was fast and fluid but lacked any flourishes to make it stand out from a crowded field. With the U Ultra and U Play, the story is different. This is where the naming scheme of the new generation of devices comes into focus. The new U devices are meant to focus on you (or u), the user, rather than you focusing on the smartphone. In practice, this means a push into AI, though whether it’s true artificial intelligence is up for argument.