The unlocked variant of the HTC U11 here in the United States has a new update rolling out starting today. The update is build 2.42.617.1 for those keeping score and brings the December 2017 Android Security Update patch to the phone along with other system improvements. The update is just over 730MB in size so users will need to download it via WiFi before installing it.
HTC highlighted in the release note the December Android Security Update patch but everything else in the note falls under “system enhancements”. No details are given on what exactly was enhanced but given the size of the download, it is likely a significant number of fixes and performance improvement tweaks to the phone.
The HTC U11 received the Android Oreo update back in November and this new build represents the first significant update since then for the phone.
In case you don’t recall, the specs of the HTC U11 are certainly flagship level. The 5.5″ Quad-HD phone is powered by the Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor with 4 cores clocked at 2.45GHz and 4 at 1.9GHz. It is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage which can be expanded an additional 2TB thanks to the MicroSD slot.
The U11 has a 3000mAh battery and is running Android Nougat 7.1 out of the box. The phone is IPS67 rated so it is waterproof and dustproof. A unique feature to the phone is what HTC refers to as Edge Sense. It allows you to physically squeeze the device to perform tasks like calling a contact or opening the camera.
Camera wise, the main shooter on the U11 is a 12MP f/1.7 model that has a DXOMark of 90, higher than that of the Google Pixel lineup. Photos samples from the phone have been stunningly impressive, particularly in low light situations. The front facing selfie camera is a 16MP f/2.0 shooter.
The U11 is available from Amazon for $644 unlocked. It will ship with Nougat but as mentioned, you can upgrade it out-of-the-box to Oreo.
