HTC U12+ review: They fixed the buttons! [Updated]

Android Central Verdict

Price: $799Bottom line: HTC's new high-end offering is speedy, with impressive glass-backed designs and very capable cameras -- but beware of the digital buttons, which will be a turn-off for some.

Pros

  • +

    Speedy performance and minimal software bloat

  • +

    Stunning photo quality across the board

  • +

    Beautiful colored glass back panels

Cons

  • -

    Digital buttons can be finnicky

  • -

    Dated HTC Sense UI design

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When we first reviewed HTC's latest handset, its digital buttons were kind of a mess. But with a software fix now rolling out, the U12+ is well worth a second look.

HTC U12+ Prelude

When we first reviewed the HTC U12+ back in June, it was kind of a mess. That was almost exclusively the fault of the digital buttons: the pressure sensitive nubs that replaced the power and volume keys. More generally, the Edge Sense 2 features, which includes all the phone's pressure-sensitive capabilities, were equally wonky out of the box. Problems included ghost presses, wildly varying sensitivity, in some cases leading to the phone hard resetting itself due to ghost input.

But now, thankfully, for there's new firmware rolling out to address these issues. With that in mind, as promised back in June, this phone deserves a second look. Because otherwise, the U12+ has plenty of redeeming factors -- not least of which is an amazing camera that matches the Pixel 2, and challenges the Huawei P20 Pro.

So let's come at the U12+ fresh, with the latest firmware and an open mind.

About this review

We originally published this review after two weeks with the HTC U12+. I (Alex Dobie) used a European U12+ in the UK on EE, and in Taipei, Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom. Shortly after picking up my first U12+ unit, I noticed multiple issues with the phone's new, all-digital volume and power keys, as well as the pressure-sensitive Edge Sense feature. HTC replaced the phone with a different unit, which performed better than the first, but exhibited the same problems after around 24 hours. During the original review period, my device was running software version 1.15.401.4, based on Android 8.0 Oreo, with the March 1, 2018 Android security patch.

On July 27, the device got an update to 1.21.401.3, with fixes for the digital buttons and improvements to battery life. We're updating this review on July 31 to reflect these changes.

HTC U12+ Full Review

If you're familiar with the U11+, the under-appreciated extra-large cousin of the U11 that launched in late 2017, then the design of the U12+ will be very familiar.

For everyone else, this is a pretty standard 18:9 Android slab from the front, with a few pleasing design cues to set it apart. There's no display notch, for what that's worth. Instead, the U12+ sports a slightly asymmetrical forehead and chin. And the surface of the display is raised up from the metal frame by a near right-angle curve of the glass itself. At first, I mistook this for a plastic rim, but nope: it's curved, angled glass going straight into metal, which is an impressive manufacturing feat.

Like HTC's past two flagships, the rear of the U12+ is far more visually appealing. I've been using the standard reflective gunmetal color, which is almost identical to the same hue in last year's U11+. There's also a translucent blue option, which gives you a peek at the innards of the phone, as well as a fiery iridescent red, which shifts between blood red and a golden yellow.

HTC U12 Plus

The U12+ is a little on the chunky side, but HTC's lustrous glass designs shine through.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CategorySpecification
Operating SystemAndroid 8.0, HTC Sense
PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 845
Adreno 630 GPU
Display6-inch 2880x1440, Super LCD 6
DCI-P3, HDR10
Gorilla Glass 5
RAM6GB
Storage64 / 128GB UFS 2.1
Main Camera12MP, 1.4μm pixels
ƒ/1.75 lens, OIS, EIS
UltraPixel 4, UltraSpeed AF, HDR Boost
Secondary Camera16MP 1μm pixels
ƒ2.6 lens, 2x optical zoom, portrait mode
Video4K @ 60fps
1080p @ 240fps slo-mo
360° 3D Audio with 4 microphones
Front CamerasDual 8MP sensors
1.12μm pixel size, f/2.0
84° wide-angle FOV, portrait mode
Water/Dust ResistanceIP68
Battery3500 mAh
Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0
AudioHTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition
HTC USonic
USB-C + noise cancelling headphones
Network4G LTE Cat. 18 up to 1.2Gbps
FDD Bands 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,17,20, 28, 32, 66
TDD: Bands 38, 39, 40, 41
Voice assistantsGoogle Assistant, Alexa
ColorsTranslucent Blue, Flaming Red, Ceramic Black
Dimensions156.6 x 73.9 x 8.7-9.7mm
Weight188 g

The back panel has an oleophobic coating, which makes it less fingerprint-prone than the Galaxy S9 and LG G7, but a bit more slippery.

The overall feel is more chunky than similar-sized phones like the OnePlus 6, or even Samsung's S9+, but the basic ergonomics of this design are sound. It's comfortable to hold, and thanks to the addition of a decent one-handed mode in HTC's Sense software, it's easier to wrangle than the U11+ without bringing in a second hand.

Despite the ample heft of this phone, there's unfortunately no headphone jack included, nor is there any USB-C-to-3.5mm dongle in the box this time. (HTC includes it as a pre-order bonus in some markets.)

There's nothing too surprising about the spec sheet of the U12+, which combines a Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB of RAM, and 64/128GB of storage depending on where you buy it, and dual-SIM functionality in some markets. (I've been using a single-SIM version of the phone.)

HTC, once again, sticks with LCD technology for the display, going against the grain of the smartphone industry. And though the U12+'s 6-inch panel doesn't boast the same brightness as leading OLED panels from Samsung, it's still an attractive panel with no visible ghosting, and pleasing, punchy colors.

HTC U12 Plus

The main thing you miss out on compared to competitors like the Galaxy S9+ and Huawei P20 Pro is daylight visibility, and the ability to use the Always-On Display mode without tanking your battery. (The U12+ includes such a mode, but it's wise to only enable it when picking up the phone.)

HTC's spec sheet matches the cutting edge in all but a couple of areas.

Battery life was weak and unpredictable on the original U12+ firmware, but it's settled down considerably on the new update, to the point where it's landed in that sweet spot for an easy "full day" of use. Day-to-day, I'm getting around 16 hours between charges, with four-to-five hours of screen-on time. That's nothing mind-blowing, but certainly acceptable. It about matches what I get out of the OnePlus 6, with a little bit of a harder hit when the screen is running in daylight at max brightness.

Criticism aside, the U12's longevity is not a whole lot worse than what I've been getting from the Exynos version of Samsung's Galaxy S9+. Plus, unlike that phone, you get Quick Charge 4 support, assuming you have your own compatible plug.

At least HTC's audio credentials remain strong, outside of that sadly absent headphone jack. The U12+ boasts a meaty BoomSound Hi-Fi system, combining the single bottom-facing speaker with an earpiece tweeter, for satisfyingly loud and bassy audio reproduction.

HTC U12 Plus

HTC's USonic active noise-cancelling earbuds, bundled with the phone, are great too. They haven't changed since they first appeared alongside the U11, but they're about the best bundled earbuds I've used with a phone. HTC's Sense software can instantly and automatically tune its audio output to the structure of your ear canals, with results as impressive as we've witnessed from older HTC phones.

The pressure-sensitive buttons

In our original review, we weren't kind to the U12+'s digital buttons, because, in short, they were bad from start to finish. The digital non-button buttons were unreliable, with sensitivity levels jumping about all over the place, and prone to ghost input that in extreme cases would cause the phone to hard reset itself. This was the main reason to not buy this phone. A fundamental hardware feature was broken out of the box.

HTC U12 Plus buttons

The buttons are so weird because they're not truly buttons in the traditional sense. They're pressure-sensitive nubs that give haptic feedback when pressed, a bit like an iPhone's home button. The haptics aren't anywhere near as good as the iPhone's -- but they're also not terrible, once you get used to the feedback coming from the middle of the phone and not the area you're pressing.

The buttons are a continuation of the Edge Sense feature from last year's HTC U11. And that feature has some new tricks too. Now you can double-tap on the sides to bring down the notification shade, or use one-handed mode. Edge Sense can now keep the display from sleeping while the device is in your hand, and switch between landscape and portrait mode more intelligently. By understanding how you're holding the phone, it can stay in the correct orientation even if you're laying sideways in bed.

It's been great to be able to finally use these features with the new U12+ software update, because on the old software they were frustrating and unpredictable.

So the tl;dr here is that the update has basically fixed the buttons. Very occasionally I still notice fluctuations in sensitivity when the temperature changes -- it's 99% reliable, not 100%, but it's to the level now where I'm fine with it. That said, I still prefer real buttons. And I feel like the saga of the past couple months with these buttons could have already sunk this phone.

If the U12+ had shipped with this newer firmware, HTC surely could have saved itself a lot of bad publicity.

If you've already used an HTC U11 or U11+ on Android Oreo, or read our review of the U11+ from last November, then you'll have already seen almost everything The U12+ has to offer on the software side.

We're still running Android 8.0 here, not the newer version 8.1. (The main impact for many of us: no Netflix support for picture-in-picture mode.) Otherwise, The user-facing side of Android 8.1 is largely identical to 8.0.

Sense remains locked in the same holding pattern it's been stuck in for much of the past couple years.

Otherwise, it's another year with virtually no changes in either the way HTC Sense looks or functions. On one level, that's fine. Sense is so close to stock Android now that there's not much need for surface-level changes.

On the other hand, Sense is still littered with the dregs of older software versions. As we've noted in earlier reviews, many core apps like Weather, Contacts, Messages and the Dialer haven't changed in more than three years. In Sense Home, more subtle clues of HTC's lack of design effort can be seen: The rows of home screen icons are aligned for a 16:9 display, not the U12+'s 18:9 panel.

The biggest changes are, in fact, two very welcome additions: The one-handed mode, which is necessary on a phone this large. It's activated with a double-tap on the bezel (see above — this does not work well!), or a triple-tap on the home key. And the U12's dual front cameras help to enable face unlock, which is among the fastest on any Android phone I've used. HTC's software can also light up the display for better face detection in darker conditions

Beyond those few upgrades, this is a fast, relatively clean Android UI that's in dire need of a facelift. As I said six months ago, HTC needs to either go all-in on a near-stock Android experience like OnePlus's OxygenOS, or truly differentiate its software with a new completely new look that doesn't look like it belongs in 2014.

HTC U12 Plus

For all its troubles, HTC continues to excel at smartphone photography.

The U12+'s saving grace is its camera setup, an area where HTC is truly competitive with the best phone cameras of the moment. This dual-camera array around the back can absolutely go toe-to-toe with the Galaxy S9+ and Huawei P20 Pro, and in some cases come out on top.

HTC combines a 12-megapixel main sensor with f/1.75 lens and optical stabilization with an f/2.6, 16-megapixel telephoto camera. The telephoto has smaller pixels on the sensor and no OIS — an on-paper disadvantage compared to Samsung's zoom camera.

But HTC's secret sauce is its HDR Boost function. First seen on the U11, the second-generation of HTC's post-processing feature allows it to bring out awesome fine detail and high dynamic range, even in challenging situations. As I've said before, HDR Boost is a competitive recreation of the post-processing setup Google uses in HDR+ on its Pixel phones, though I've noticed that in darker conditions HTC's will favor grainier output in order to produce a brighter-looking shot. Whether that's good or bad is a matter of personal preference. Some may prefer the softer but less noisy output of Samsung's Galaxy S9+.

It's also worth noting an additional caveat: Despite its dizzying DxOMark score of 103, the U12+ can't match the insane low-light detail provided by the Huawei P20 Pro's industry-leading low-light mode.

HTC takes another crack at software bokeh, and the results range from competent to truly impressive.

HDR Boost also allows the U12+ telephoto camera to eke out better-looking telephoto shots than it has any right to given the optics of its secondary camera. In many darker situations, the HTC camera would stick with a shot from the secondary camera, as opposed to a digital crop of the main sensor.

HTC has also built out its own software bokeh mode, which doubles as portrait mode on the U12+, adding artificial lens blur to shots. On the whole, it's technically proficient, and I've captured some impressive shots of people, food and pets using HTC's bokeh mode. The end results are on par with what I've seen from the Google Pixel 2 and Huawei P20 series, and it's also possible to edit the level of blur after the fact in Google Photos — though this option is somewhat hidden.

Meanwhile, around the front, HTC packs a twin 8-megapixel camera setup, allowing accurate bokeh shots through the front camera without the software guesswork of some rivals. As with the main camera, selfies from the U12+ are grainier than competitors like the Galaxy S9, particularly in darker conditions, but they often retain more fine detail pics from the Samsung device. There's a full array of beauty modes too, for smoothing skin and digitally re-jigging your features.

HTC U12 Plus Camera

For what it's worth, HTC also has Animoji-style stickers in its camera app, the existence of which I'll note here for the record. They're there. I guess they'll be fun if that's your thing. Like Samsung's AR Emoji, I've mostly ignored them in my time with the phone.

My only real complaint around the U12+'s camera has to do with its speed. The app is frequently slower to load than most rivals, and processing times for HDR Boost are a little on the long side. The trade-offs, with patience, are worth it, but on a couple of occasions, I've missed shots due to the camera taking too long to fire up.

HTC's new flagship also has a competent video camera, building on features like 3D Audio and Acoustic Focus — amplifying volume from specific areas as you zoom — that debuted in the U11. Advances in optics and processing bring predictable improvements in video quality for HTC, however, it's a little disappointing to see electronic stabilization limited to 1080p resolution. Some rivals, including the cheaper OnePlus 6, can manage stabilized video at 4K resolution.

HTC U12 Plus

HTC U12+ Bottom Line

The new firmware basically transforms the U12+ from a bad phone into a good phone. There are the usual quirks that you get with every handset, but nothing deal-breakingly bad. The fundamentals are solid, performance is fast, and the cameras truly impressive.

But what's also worth considering is HTC's pretty dire track record for customer support. Tales of phones going missing for months at a time in the bowels of the company's repair system are common, and if you're blowing $799 on a handset, you need to know you're not going to be left in the lurch if something goes wrong.

Same deal with software support. When a company hits on hard times, firmware updates are often first on the chopping block. Don't hold your breath for timely security patches going forwards, nor any timely platform upgrades beyond Android P.

There's also the question of HTC's future in general, and how long the inertia that's sustaining the company can last. Whether or not there'll even be a successor to the U12+ next year is an open question -- Blockchain phones notwithstanding.

3.5 out of 5

At least if this is the beginning of the end for the original Android brand, it's mostly going out on a high with a device that fans will love.

Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.

69 Comments
  • Just how good would the sales of the u12+ be if all carrier's handled this phone? HTC would be pleasantly surprised! But in reality it ain't gonna happen. That in itself is a crying shame.....
  • The sales would still be in the trash can. Mainly because they can't compete with more popular brands and the pricing.
  • Carriers would be handling a lot of returned devices is what would happen.
  • HTC is starting to look incompetent with certain aspects. Before any reviews came out I predicted what the tone of the reviews were going to be like and for the most part I was right. I'm sure the U12+ will flop harder than the U Ultra. I'm at a loss as to how HTC could screw up this bad with the basics.
  • You should probably read or watch some of the reviews first, and for most of them, the buttons work fine.
  • "starting to look incompetent"?
    Hahahaha. Where have you been? They have been certifiable incompetent for years now.
  • It's very sad to see HTC where they are today. Talk about going from the best to the least successful. Good company with a few mistakes that have cost it dearly.
  • I snagged a U12+ at the NYC launch event. And I've already sent it back. I could have written this review - as my complaints are the same. The issues with the pressure sensitive buttons and sides are a deal breaker from the jump. But even if those are fixed, the staleness of the software ruins the rest of the experience. As Alex mentions, its very close to stock - yet so far away. The dialer, contacts, etc are years old and just detract from the flagship experience this otherwise delivers. I just dont understand why at that point HTC doesnt just include the google dialer?
  • I disagree with the software opinions some what. HTC has the best theme engine. Yes, even better than Samsung. So all this can be changed, so it basically nulifies software design outdated opinions. Although I do agree it could use a refresh, but with it being light and snappy, and still have detailed customizable themes makes their software really special.
  • If HTC sense was so great, why not make it a downloadable app, or an app that can be deleted? The answer is simple, it's not so great. This is the core problem with anything that doesn't come with stock Android, it becomes stale, and the manufacturers have a direct conflict of interest in ever updating the software. Even if they wanted to, they just don't have an army of developers to do what Google is already doing. It's sad to see this happen to HTC, but it was going to catch up to all of them, just like it will catch up to Samsung as well.
  • HTC Sense is downloadable in the Google Play store.
    There's no such thing as stock Android on anything, including the Pixel. If you want a more interesting version of Sense, why bother mentioning the Pixel, which is so boring it pains me? The dialer and a couple other software items do need to be updated, but HTC's in-house apps were better than Google's, and the overall Sense experience is fast and satisfying.
  • HTC sense? No thanks, the Pixel launcher is so much better than HTC Sense, which reminds me of the old HTC Desire lol. Oh and actually use a Pixel for more than 5 minutes before making a comment. I actually own a Pixel (2 XL) so I'm in a position to comment.
  • You can download Sense in the playstore or via XDA labs. You don't need root & it's simple to do
  • Have to disagree a little bit, HTC's dialler is fantastic. I switched to Googles for a little while, but quickly switched back. Visually I agree, it needs a refresh. In terms of functionality it works very well.
  • 💯
  • So you "snagged a U12+ at the NYC launch event" huh? Riiight!!! Do you enjoy making crap up? It's really pathetic.
  • The phone was clearly made when they still had the crew that got sold to Google, as it takes years to design and build these things. I think what's happened is that the people who would have put polish on the final product were no longer working on the project, but the project had gone far enough to release a product that to just can it.
  • while I can't argue with the first point, can't you just download the google apps yourself? I get it should be included but pretty much all of googles apps are now on the play store.
  • I think he's referring to the overall quality of the phone, relative to the people who left for Google when they bought that part of HTC's business. All of Google's apps are there, but the QC may have slipped when the engineers left for Google.
  • This is just sad. What was the point of mucking with the physical buttons? Just to be different? If you're going to change something that fundamental, you have to nail it the very first time. Otherwise, don't bother or you risk a debacle like this. This is a death knell if they can't fix it.
  • HTC once attained superstar status. That was long ago. You can't keep the gas & lights on with what you once were. It's a crying shame. This phone is a definite flop. The same league of the Bolt & U Ultra!
  • So disappointing, instead of spending resources on this gimmicky buttons they could have dedicated resources to refreshing sense or just use Android One/stock with refreshed HTC core apps which would have been fine as well. Looks like they just don't know how to stand out and trying something different. But if you don't execute well that's going to badly backfire like it's happening now.
    Let's see if they can resolve these issues with software update. May be that's the reason they pushed the release back by 2 weeks to June 21st instead of June 7th like it was originally stated.
  • Even if they fix the buttons, I think the damage from these reviews is already done. It's evident that HTC has lost their way and simply doesn't care about making outstanding products anymore like they used to.
  • Actually the complete opposite. They are trying to sooo hard to stand out by trying something wildly different, then failing the execution and falling flat on thsir face lol.
  • Is actually worse than that. They do care or they wouldn't have even tried with the fake buttons. The problem is that they always find a way to mess something up
  • Agreed, HTC has become their own worse enemy. With no carrier support limits exposure. When you can't get it in the hands of consumer's the parties over before it starts. No marketing, another failure. Plus the 800.00 price tag. Purchasing unlocked direct from HTC or Amazon is fine & dandy. But what if you have a problem? There's no way I want to ship an expensive phone thru the mail. Most consumer's purchase with their local carrier, financing, warranty & insurance. It's that simple!
  • I agree. The only way they'd be able to overcome the negative response is to issue a recall and redesign the phone with normal buttons, but I honestly don't think they have the finanical resources to stay afloat through that redesign anymore...
  • Ugh! My fear has been verified. Those "buttons" are terrible ruining a near perfect phone. Why would they do this to themselves? Its like they are purposely trying to make themselves fail. This phone with REAL premium clicky buttons like they had before and on 3 or 4 of the major carriers would have done really good. Hopefully HTC never makes these buttons again. Looks like I'm waiting another year to buy a HTC phone again. :-(
  • HTC will refresh sense on Android P, but might be too late. I also think HTC tried to go without physical buttons and just couldn't quite make it in time and the pressure buttons are what came out of it. They need a 5.xx inch device as well, probably look to the pixel 3 as the guide of what they will do next.
  • Instead of chasing Samsung and Apple for the high end market just make an affordable Flagship and price it at $500. Can't they see their strategy isn't working??
  • But they pretty much did that last year, albeit slightly above $500, and it didn't really make a difference.
  • BigDinCA - Correct. I got mine for a bit over $500, and it was so good that I GAVE my brand new iPhone 7 away. We have the iPhone 8 Plus in the house now, and it's not as good as the U11 either. As it stands right now, if HTC fixes the button issue (I think they will too), the S9 will be inferior in just about every way except screen brightness and wireless charging, and AC will STILL put the S9 on it's "Best" list.
  • Word.
  • I wasn't aware of that. What phone did htc sell for slightly over $500 that was a Flagship last year?
  • That was the U11. Original price was $649, but they had deals that dropped it down to $549 USD.
  • Even at the very least, banging heads with Apple & Samsung is fruitless. A great mid-range with excellent specs would help their cause. There's nothing wrong with a strong mid-ranger for 4 or 5 hundred? Even the Nokia 7plus plus is doing well with the 660processer!
  • I very rarely used the physical buttons on a phone so would not be a deal breaker for me.
    Buttons are so old fashioned.
  • Even if you don't use them (changing volume must be a chore) the fact they register ghost touches means it might still be a deal breaker.
  • Yea that's true.
    Ghost touches would be an issue.
  • Exactly. If this is the only thing they got against this phone, when and where can I buy it?
  • Despite not being a fan of big glass phones, I was considering the U12+, but the janky, pressure-sensitive buttons sound annoying.
  • I'll still get it, confident that they'll correct the sensitivity issues with a good firmware update. I love their phones. The U11 was a masterpiece in my opinion. I used Edge Sense dozens of times a day. I didn't really think I would ever need something like that, but having it, and setting it up to work the way I wanted it to, made a great phone outstanding. If they don't seem to be able to correct the button issues with firmware updates then I guess I'll just take the L. But I'm willing to give it a shot, because everything else about the phone checks all the boxes for me.
  • 799 sheets and they haven't come up with something that could just remotely compete with a Note8..... Eemmmm... No thanks
  • Except for camera, performance, RAM management, battery life, speakers, headphone audio, touch response...
  • The HTC U12+ is meh. It shows just how far HTC have fallen. My Pixel 2 XL hasn't got anything to worry with HTC.
  • Apart from the trash Pixel 2XL screen sent mine back the Super LCD6 is far superior, even for an LCD device
  • I would say that Alex gave a pretty fair review, and agree that unreliable buttons are a fatal flaw. I don't think fatal flaws are all that rare though. Note 7 battery, Essential PH-1 camera, Pixel 2 screen, LG G5 mods, Bixby...
    Ok, Ok, just kidding about that last one, and none of these are absolute deal breakers except for the Note 7, which was a hunk of burnin' love for all the wrong reasons (sorry Elvis!). The buttons would have been a really cool idea if it was sorted and flawless, but it's not. Two things give hope: 1. HTC is willing to fix it. 2. HTC has better software engineers than most other companies. What will it mean if HTC fixes the calibration or even allows each button to be adjusted? It will be great for the device, but I'm not sure about sales because the initial damage is done. Last year's HTC U11 turned out to be wonderful, but was still delegated to the back seat by AC for the likes of the S8 and S9 which had inferior cameras, software, battery life, and performance. IF HTC fixes the issue, they will be the first to have a buttonless device, and will have the only one that you can use the "buttons" underwater with zero risk. They will also solve the button failue issue, whach has been bane for me through the years. But, they can't just trade one set of problems for another.
  • I'd never spend $800 on a phone, but if I had to, and had to choose between the U12+, and S9+, gimme the U12+ any day. Samsung software is pitiful, from the lag all the way down to the visuals in the UI settings, and those stupid looking hieroglyphic icons in the navigation bar.
  • I'll get the U12 as well.
  • 2/5 = ouch! Looks like my Solar Red will remain my daily driver.
  • Even if they fix the button and edge sense issues, I'm still not paying the price they're asking.
  • Everything after "beautiful colored glass back panels" listed as a "pro", invalidated your entire review. Glass backs are a marketing scam designed to make devices twice as likely to break & therefore sell twice the inventory. Only a small mind attracted to shiny baubles would list fragility as anything other than a con.
  • Oh God! we have a tough guy here!
  • Good news: it appears that the Android Central phones are defective. I've been watching U12 reviews from other sources for hours, and the button operation is fine and even "fun" according to other reviews. Android Authority, Pocketnow, TechnoBuffalo, Smart Tech, Gsmarena and others had no problems.
  • "Android Central : sponsored by Samsung", lol
  • Wow just because of the buttons? I bet if iPhone made this it will be called Innovation of the year.
  • Or they would say "You're holding it wrong" 😉
  • Too bad that the phone does not support T-Mobile new 600Mhz Band 71. Not sure why it was not included. Also, no excuse for not having wireless charging. Should have been $50.00 cheaper, too. Over all a nice effort but without the support for the T-Mo 600mHz Band 71 I'm not buying,
  • Really getting sick of your HTC bashing. Samsung must give you guys good money.
  • Yeah, who cares if the buttons work or not? Just don't bash HTC. Personally I've never forgiven HTC for the purple camera issues on the HTC ONE and wouldn't go near one of their phones again.
  • Not for nothing, but they knew about those issues with the early camera modules on the M7. It was a heat related issue, and they repaired those devices under warranty if you sent it in. I did it with two of mine. They were even doing it after devices were out of warranty. One of mine was 3 months out of the 1-year warranty and they replaced the camera for free.
  • This seem like a mediocre phone. I agree with this review. This phone is a slightly improved U11+ and I thought that phone wasn't worth the price. I didn't even like the camera from the U11+. All in all it seems like an overpriced mid-range phone.
  • It is odd that a mid range phone can do everything better than the S9 except wireless charging...
  • I don't understand people sticking up for HTC on this. It's obviously as issue. At least it's being reported before the phone is released. I didn't have that luxury when I got the HTC one M7 and I ended up with purple photos in anything but sun light. There's a reason HTC aren't doing well.
  • I said this early on: No CDMA radio, no purchase. I (or my wife) have owned every Verizon HTC phone since the Aria... No joke. I'm an Elevate member and always been a fanboy. Then I pre-ordered the HTC U11. Man, was that phone gorgeous looking. Took great photos and videos. Sense UI was fast and beautiful as always. I could unlock the bootloader. Sure, no visual voicemail or Wi-Fi calling, but not a biggie, right? Then one day about two weeks after receiving the phone, my 4G cut out. I tried everything: a different (old) SIM, brand new SIM, factory reset. Putting the SIM in my HTC 10, all Verizon services worked flawlessly. I called HTC support and they could not get it working either. You make matters worse, they were only willing to send me a new SIM tray as the phone was on backorder and the SIM tray was going to take two weeks. With no Wi-Fi calling or CDMA to fall back on, all I had was a very fancy digital media player. I claimed buyer's remorse and got a full refund and went back to the HTC 10. I'm now the proud and happy owner of a Pixel 2 XL.
  • Buttons work fine for me. Great phone.
  • Props to the Android Central team. HTC pushed out the fix, and not only did you update the article and move it to the top where we could see it, but you made an entire new video review that was honest and fair. Where do I send my check? ;)
  • Yes. Its just the first. Another update will come sooner or later. This phone will be more competitive and will become good to a great phone.
  • So many HTC haters. Why? Perhaps some don't have even one.