HTC’s U12+ is a buttons-free Android flagship that wants you to see its inner beauty

Reeling off specs for a flagship Android phone is these days almost a copy and paste job. 6-inch 1440×2880 display. Snapdragon 845 processor. 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Oreo 8. Yawn. What we want is something distinct, and that’s what you get with the HTC U12+ (£699). The dual camera system is a 12MP/16MP combo effort, with a Sonic Zoom feature that zeros in on sound and voices when capturing an impromptu masterpiece. But the real wow factor is how the device looks and feels. Haptic sensors replace buttons. Hold the sides and the screen won’t rotate. And the ‘liquid surface’ multi-layered glass construction has an eye-dazzling shimmering effect. If it all feels a bit too modern, leaving you on the verge of future shock, you’re covered, too: grab the Translucent Blue model, which channels the original iMac by providing a glimpse of the phone’s innards.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.