HTC U: IP57 water resistance, dual SIM variant, and no audio jack

More details about HTC’s new Snapdragon 835-powered flagship have surfaced ahead of its rumored launch this month.

LlabTooFeR, noted HTCROM developer and frequent leaker, revealed some new tidbits about the HTCU, which you may know under its Ocean codename.

The HTCU will feature an IP57 ingress protection rating, according to the leak, which means the phone should be able to survive being immersed in up to one meter of water and withstand most dust particles. For comparisons, U competitors like the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 are both rated at a slightly better IP68.

The U won’t be the first water-resistant smartphone from HTC– that distinction goes to the Sprint-bound Bolt (and its international variant, HTC 10 Evo), which hasn’t seen a wide release however.

Like the Bolt and its lesser namesakes, the U Ultra and U Play, the HTCU will not feature an audio jack, LlabTooFeR claims. The device will be available in single and dual-SIM versions, depending on the market.

Over the weekend, Evan Blass shared the first live picture of the HTCU (seen above), and there’s not much to write home about. It’s the same design language we’ve seen on the U Ultra and a bunch of previous HTCdevices. It’s rather generic too, though the grainy leaked image might obscure its true appeal. That said, there’s something special hidden beneath the U’s mundane skin – sensors embedded in the phone’s metallic frame will reportedly allow users to control it with squeeze gestures.

Other leaked HTCU specs include:

• Display: 5.5-inch QHD display with Gorilla Glass 5
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
• RAM: 4 / 6 GB (depending on the model, may be region restricted)
• Internal storage: 64 / 128 GB storage (depending on the model)
• Cameras: 12 MP rear, 16 MP front (from a previous leak)
• Battery: 3,000 mAh
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
• OS: Android 7.1 Nougat with Sense Home UI
• Extras: Fingerprint scanner, Edge Sense

Blass claims the HTCU will be introduced by the end of the month. Till then, let us know what you think of the leaks!