An HTC U11 "Mini" Might Be In Your Future

The age of mini flagships is upon us again. Well, they never really left us but only took on different names and forms. In the midst of rumors of a "true" Galaxy S8 mini in the works comes word that HTC might have something similar in mind. According to LlabTooFer, a certain HTC "Ocean Life" coul be around the corner and will practically be a mid-range HTC U11.

The codename "Ocean Life" might remind HTC fans of last year's pattern. The HTC 10 got an "HTC 10 Lifestyle" variant which was a mid-range phone that bore the flagship's aesthetics. Since the HTC U11 was codenamed "Ocean" before it launched, the "Ocean Life" would seem to follow that same path.

Indeed, the features rumored for this phone seem to point in that direction. Specifically, the Edge Sense "grip" feature will be coming to this phone, something only the U11 has for now. There'll also be the adaptive HTC USonic as well as the latest Sense 9.0 Android UX. Whether this phone adopts the same glossy design as the U11 is still unknown, but, all things considering, that's pretty much expected.

In terms of hardware, this HTC Ocean Life isn't going to wow anyway. While it does have the latest power-efficient Snapdragon 660 processor, the middling 2,600 mAh battery might not exactly make that advantage felt. The 5.2-inch screen is indeed smaller but so is the 1080p resolution. As with the larger, more premium phone, there is no dual camera either, but the rear and front cameras are supposedly near equal 16 meagpixel shooters.

Save for some structural integrity problems, the HTC U11 is a surprisingly impressive and glamorous phone. However, as with anything HTC, it hasn't exactly been a huge hit in the market. Bringing its signature Edge Sense and perhaps its high-gloss glass design to the mid-range is definitely going to be a risky venture, but those who won't mind paying for a cheaper alternative will probably appreciate the gesture anyway.

VIA: @LlabTooFeR