HTC Says A Dual-Camera Phone Coming In 2018

In an interesting twist, HTC has revealed that it will release a dual-camera smartphone sometime next year. This is puzzling because HTC was one of the first phone makers to release a dual-camera device, releasing phones with the technology for several years before any of its biggest rivals, only to drop the feature after 2015. This news was shared by HTC itself at the U11+ debut in Taiwan last week.

"We'll definitely be releasing a dual-camera phone next year, but we'll need to figure out how to make this feature stand out," said HTC President Chialin Chang. It was a bit of an odd announcement, as Chang noted that HTC's lineup for 2018 will be limited, focusing on just five to six smartphones, but no other details about the dual-camera feature revealed. This includes why the company is taking another stab at the technology all of a sudden.

MORE: HTC U11 Life review

From 2011 to 2014, HTC was one of the few companies making dual-camera phones. The technology was originally touted for its 3D photo effects, a trend that never caught on, but towards the end their "Duo Camera" was pioneering the bokeh and depth effects that are so popular in today's portrait modes.

HTC's last dual-camera model was the One M9 in 2015, only to drop the feature on last year's flagship, the HTC 10. This was almost the exact same time that Apple, LG, and others began promoting dual-camera technology as a big deal for their devices.

By now, let alone in 2018, dual-cameras are practically a standard feature on high-end flagship smartphones. This means HTC is going to have to work extra hard to stand out from the competition, a task the company has a reputation for failing to achieve.

SOURCE Engadget