Official teaser confirms HTC U11 EYEs launch on January 15; expected features

Industry sources had earlier revealed that HTC would switch its focus from high-end segment to mid-tire segment in this year. It was also speculated that the company would launch a cheaper version of its flagship smartphone U11 Plus sometime in January. Codenamed as Ocean Harmony, the smartphone has appeared in quite a few leaks so far.

Also known as the HTC U11 EYEs, it is now confirmed to launch on January 15 in China. The confirmation comes through an official press invite on the company's official Weibo account. The teaser has a reference to the word 'EYE', leaving us no room for doubt. First spotted by the website Playfuldroid, the invitation also shows dual cameras in the background.

This clearly indicates the upcoming U11 EYEs will sport dual cameras. It should be noted that One M8 was HTC's one and only dual camera smartphone and it was launched back in 2014. So by launching the U11 EYEs, the company will re-enter the dual camera smartphone market.

Interview with Darren Sng, Head of Global Product Marketing, HTC - GIZBOT

In an interview with Engadget last year, HTC President Chialin Chang had also said "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."

So it is safe to say that the U11 EYEs is coming with dual cameras. Unfortunately, there is no information on the camera configuration. As far as other details are concerned, the smartphone's entire specs sheet was leaked online a couple of months ago. Moreover, tipster Evan Blass has also revealed the phone's specs through his Twitter account.The smartphone is said to be fitted with a 5.99-inch d Super-LCD 5 screen. The display will deliver full HD+ resolution of 2,160×1,080 pixels. This screen resolution suggests that the handset will carry an aspect ratio of 18:9.

Under the hood, the HTC U11 EYEs is likely to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor. Earlier leaks have also revealed that the smartphone will offer 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage capacity. The device is speculated to be backed up a large 3,930mAh battery for keeping the lights on.

In addition to all these, just like the newly launched U11 Plus and U11 Life, the U11 EYEs may also come with squeezable frame for Edge Sense feature. It remains to be seen if this smartphone is made available in other markets or not.