The new HTC Ocean Note device is actually the HTC U Ultra, according to Twitter user and tipster, @OnLeaks. The new device is set to have a 6.0-inch display panel and does away the 3.5mm headphone port, meaning customers will have to either rely on an adapter or switch to wireless headphones. This, along with the adoption of USB Type C, is one of 2016’s design language changes. The new HTC U Ultra is also set to receive the newer generation USB Type-U port in place of the older generation MicroUSB, which brings about it the potential for both significantly faster data transfer speeds and much faster charging, as the USB Type-C standard can handle higher voltages and currents. The HTC U Ultra is also reckoned to arrive in three colours at launch, these being Black, White and Blue, and will feature dual SIM slots. At the end of last year, HTC released invitations to an event being held on the 12 January 2017 featuring a white letter “U” printed over a purple background.
We have seen a number of rumours surrounding the HTC Ocean Note, but these appeared centred around the device using a smaller display of between 5.4-inch to 5.7-inch. The Ocean Note is also set to include a curved display panel with edge control, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and S7 edge families of devices. The HTC Ocean Note is also said to include the “best ever” industry camera set up with a higher DxOMark score than the current champion, the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL smartphones with 89 points. HTC’s current highest scoring device in the DxO tables is the 2016 flagship device, the HTC 10, scoring 88 points. However, we’ve read rumours that on the 12 January HTC is set to release at least three devices and only one is the HTC Ocean Note. The other two are the HTC Ocean Smart and the Ocean Master. Perhaps one or both of these other devices slot into the 5.4-inch to 5.7-inch screen category.
@OnLeaks has written that this leak is unverified and so it would be sensible to treat this report with a dose of scepticism, but we only have a few days before we know what devices HTC are preparing for an early 2017 device release. And it seems that as more and more device manufacturers are removing the 3.5mm headphone port from their devices, so many more may be set to follow in the coming months.