[OPINION] The HTC U11 is a very solid and beautiful device, but it won't help much for sales, sadly

[flyingkytez]

This is one of the core reasons I've always liked HTC. I fell in love with the M8 for this very reason, and was looking forward to the 11.

Unfortunately, I think most people don't believe audio quality is a big deal. For those of us who do, like me, the removal of the headphone jack was a buzz kill.

I finally went with the S8. It's audio MIGHT be slightly less impressive (hard to know - often people are rating loudness and not musical quality) but it is rated for hi fi and can handle up to 32 bit . . . AND it has a headphone jack.

V20 is current champion in terms of audio playback, guaranteed. The stereo front facing boom speakers from the M7-M9 was one of their strongest selling points. Too bad they were trying to sell out and look like Apple with the new simple design.

 

[digitalbreak]

V20 is current champion in terms of audio playback, guaranteed. The stereo front facing boom speakers from the M7-M9 was one of their strongest selling points. Too bad they were trying to sell out and look like Apple with the new simple design.

U11 does have the much improved boom sound than what you find in M7-M9 except that they no longer show the speaker grill as it is embedded inside.

And, assuming only the 3.5mm headphone jack can produce good sound quality seems very backwards.

Companies innovate and sometimes take hard decisions. If users personally dont like that direction, there are plenty of options out there.

And yes, also assuming all Android users only use 3.5mm headphone jack is also bad. I for one have been using Bluetooth headphones for the past 4 years. And all the millions of iPhone 7 users are also doing good.

 

[Kilrahi]

U11 does have the much improved boom sound than what you find in M7-M9 except that they no longer show the speaker grill as it is embedded inside.

And, assuming only the 3.5mm headphone jack can produce good sound quality seems very backwards.

Companies innovate and sometimes take hard decisions. If users personally dont like that direction, there are plenty of options out there.

And yes, also assuming all Android users only use 3.5mm headphone jack is also bad. I for one have been using Bluetooth headphones for the past 4 years. And all the millions of iPhone 7 users are also doing good.

Improved boom sound is debatable. They are LOUDER, see my comment on that above, but as I understand it's still not stereo sound like the M8 was. Instead it's a mono split sound between tweeter and woofer. I'll take stereo over loudness any day.

As for headphone jack, to date it is still the way to go for highest quality sound, and since there's still no good reason to ditch it, it only comes off as annoying.

 

[Stevenmc8602]

Personally, I'd be glad to sacrifice the speakers if it meant a screen like the G6 or S8.

But if HTC let go of their audio what exactly will separate them from the others?

I've read comments of ppl complaining about HTC decisions every since the m8 plain and simple ppl want HTC to have/do everything all the other phones do/have and still hold on to what makes it HTC (metal body, great audio) and still manage to be less expensive than the other phones. It makes no sense! Yet I never hear ppl with the other phones complain about what they don't have (i.e. great audio, optimised UI) they just enjoy their phones... For some reason HTC users dont get to do that or refuse to do it.

 

[Stevenmc8602]

Not that I'm an advocate for removing the headphone jack but I guarantee once Samsung removes it (which we all know is gonna happen eventually) all the Galaxy and note users are not gonna make as big as a deal as ppl on here who probably haven't bought an HTC phone in years anyway

 

[Kilrahi]

But if HTC let go of their audio what exactly will separate them from the others?

I've read comments of ppl complaining about HTC decisions every since the m8 plain and simple ppl want HTC to have/do everything all the other phones do/have and still hold on to what makes it HTC (metal body, great audio) and still manage to be less expensive than the other phones. It makes no sense! Yet I never hear ppl with the other phones complain about what they don't have (i.e. great audio, optimised UI) they just enjoy their phones... For some reason HTC users dont get to do that or refuse to do it.

I agree with you on this. Honestly, I think HTC lost me because they lost their focus trying to be like all other phones and only retaining some of their audio pizazz.

They ditched their stereo speakers because people harped on bezels. They ditched their headphone jack to copy Apple. They dumped their metal bodies as other groups adopted glass.

Maybe there was just no way to win.

 

[Stevenmc8602]

I agree with you on this. Honestly, I think HTC lost me because they lost their focus trying to be like all other phones and only retaining some of their audio pizazz.

They ditched their stereo speakers because people harped on bezels. They ditched their headphone jack to copy Apple. They dumped their metal bodies as other groups adopted glass.

Maybe there was just no way to win.

Lol but they didn't ditch the headphone jack to copy Apple they ditched it to better enhance their speakers and Apple did it to include haptic feedback to make it feel like you're pressing a button even tho you're not (dumbest thing I've ever heard)...

Ppl keep downing these "new” speakers of HTC without even trying them... I've seen reviews on them and it's been pretty mix with reviewers saying it's not only louder but sounds more full and clearer while others say it's only louder and more full but not as clear... What I'm getting at here is just because it looks and works differently than we are used to doesn't necessarily means it is not as good or better...

 

[Kilrahi]

Lol but they didn't ditch the headphone jack to copy Apple they ditched it to better enhance their speakers and Apple did it to include haptic feedback to make it feel like you're pressing a button even tho you're not (dumbest thing I've ever heard)...

Ppl keep downing these "new” speakers of HTC without even trying them... I've seen reviews on them and it's been pretty mix with reviewers saying it's not only louder but sounds more full and clearer while others say it's only louder and more full but not as clear... What I'm getting at here is just because it looks and works differently than we are used to doesn't necessarily means it is not as good or better...

Sometimes it's just science though. You're right I haven't heard them, but I know stereo sound is superior to mono as a general rule.

I guess we'll have to see.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Lol but they didn't ditch the headphone jack to copy Apple they ditched it to better enhance their speakers and Apple did it to include haptic feedback to make it feel like you're pressing a button even tho you're not (dumbest thing I've ever heard)...

Ppl keep downing these "new” speakers of HTC without even trying them... I've seen reviews on them and it's been pretty mix with reviewers saying it's not only louder but sounds more full and clearer while others say it's only louder and more full but not as clear... What I'm getting at here is just because it looks and works differently than we are used to doesn't necessarily means it is not as good or better...

I just don't like that decision.

I love my jacks, but I feel that there isn't any good time to remove the headphone jack and replace it with USB-C audio until a proper universal standard has been certified and is ready for use.

 

[Eggmundo]

This jack subject is so boring now. it comes with an adaptor for God's sake.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

This jack subject is so boring now. it comes with an adaptor for God's sake.

It does.

But the same question of whether you can charge it while plugging in a pair of headphones/AUX cable still stands.

Not like I haven't tried this as I have the Moto Z, but it still feels like something that isn't solved until good splitters at least come (and I'm still looking for one).

 

[wildclip]

HTC shooting themselves in the foot. HTC A9 = wannabe iPhone clone. HTC U Ultra = wannabe V20 and Samsung Galaxy phone. They've lost their identity. The HTC10 was the last good phone from them. They removing the headphone jack was the worst idea. NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO USE BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES! Geez, and who cares if it looks shiney! Nearly everyone uses a case so you can't really see the back of the phone! Give us what Android users want: good camera (dual cameras hopefully), good battery (removable hopefully), micro SD, good audio, nice screen, etc. I used to be a huge HTC fan way back in the early Android days. Their phones were good, now they offer nothing to users.

HTC 10 was there last good phone and how many did they sell? Nobody bought it

 

[James E1]

HTC 10 was there last good phone and how many did they sell? Nobody bought it

As good as the 10 was/is the U11 is superior in every way except maybe the back being made of glass.

 

[anon(10185658)]

Personally, I'd be glad to sacrifice the speakers if it meant a screen like the G6 or S8.

We got it. You're a Samsung and LG fan

 

[Eggmundo]

We got it. You're a Samsung and LG fan

Hahahahaha

 

[James E1]

We got it. You're a Samsung and LG fan

Actually he's not. If I remember correctly he prefers HTC over most all other phones. That being said he normally buys what he feels is the best choice for him each year. If he misses out on the U11 so be it!

 

[Morty2264]

I'm really excited for this phone to come out in June! It's too bad that it's being sold exclusively by HTC in Canada - there'll be no way for me to actually hold the phone in my hands before I buy it... Unless I con another U11 user into letting me hold theirs.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Actually he's not. If I remember correctly he prefers HTC over most all other phones. That being said he normally buys what he feels is the best choice for him each year. If he misses out on the U11 so be it!

This is correct. Before the Pixel was released, I liked HTC the most. Owned the HTC One M7, M8 and 10. Had an LG G4 which I didn't like and the Galaxy S6 which was ok, had the Note 7 which I had to give back and now have a Pixel Xl which I like a lot.

While dual external speakers is nice, if it comes down to a choice between that or a screen like the S8/G6, I'd rather the screen.

The U11 looks superb from the back, but looks quite dated imo at the front, which is very different for HTC as they were killing it in design with the M7/M8. Even the 10 looked quite nice from the front, but now with these phones having small bezels and 18:9 ratio's, the large bezel look of the U11 looks a bit stale.

No doubt, the U11 will still be an excellent phone. I may still get it, but it would be more out of curiosity rather than because I really want it. I hope the U11 sells well, because I'd hate to see HTC pull out of the high end smartphone market.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

This is correct. Before the Pixel was released, I liked HTC the most. Owned the HTC One M7, M8 and 10. Had an LG G4 which I didn't like and the Galaxy S6 which was ok, had the Note 7 which I had to give back and now have a Pixel Xl which I like a lot.

While dual external speakers is nice, if it comes down to a choice between that or a screen like the S8/G6, I'd rather the screen.

The U11 looks superb from the back, but looks quite dated imo at the front, which is very different for HTC as they were killing it in design with the M7/M8. Even the 10 looked quite nice from the front, but now with these phones having small bezels and 18:9 ratio's, the large bezel look of the U11 looks a bit stale.

No doubt, the U11 will still be an excellent phone. I may still get it, but it would be more out of curiosity rather than because I really want it. I hope the U11 sells well, because I'd hate to see HTC pull out of the high end smartphone market.

Your post pretty much echoes my sentiment.

I like the U11 a lot, but I can't deny that in the age of phones shedding bezels and gaining stretched aspect ratios, the face of the U11 looks a little dated to me. That's not necessarily bad if you like 16:9, since it does make good use of whatever space is on the bezel, but it does make for a cloudier first impression.

It's the one phone that has to be used to really understand. That's great for enthusiasts but not so much for the mainstream.

 

[mwake4goten]

Was is really necessary to get rid of the 3.5mm jack? People like me are still buying wired headphones....Yes they are becoming popular but Bluetooth headphones require more maintenance compared to just plugging in and playing. With Bluetooth you got to worry about when they'll run out, then you got to charge them, and if you're an audiophile like me you'll know they don't sound as good as wired headphones.... But hey thats progress for you....