The world-wide-web is unanimous in its opinion on the latest smartphone offering from Taiwanese giant HTC.

The phone is as smart as it can get.

However, is it smart enough to dislodge the Galaxy from the Android pedestal? As for comparisons with the iPhone, the opinion remains divided in binary format… as always.

So, what is it that the HTC 10 has done right? Or, for that matter, what all does it not get right? While the market is still fiddling around with the product and assessing its various features, the first opinion is nevertheless out.

As MiserlyGeek argues, the company, which brought a modicum of elegance to the Android phones, takes off with the HTC 10 from where it left off with the ‘One and One’ offerings in the metal-clad handsets space. The design gets more refined with chamfered edges while the missing front speaker grille (a fixture of earlier flagship phones from HTC) gives it a new character.

Most reviewers across the world voice similar opinions. A single line would suffice to describe the HTC 10 – “The best smartphone to come out of the HTC stable.” However, the question from Dan Seifert asks on The Verge merits some thought. “… is being the best phone HTC has ever made enough anymore?”

And, this is where the detractors take off. They believe that the Taiwanese company hasn’t really done any out-of-the-box work on a phone that originally broke the assembly line of badly designed garish and cheap-looking Android models made with loads of plastic.

So, what is it exactly that the world is saying about the HTC 10? We have attempted to list out the Top-5 hits as well as the Top-5 misses that reviewers from across the world have pointed out:

Top-5 things that work for the HTC 10:

1.The phone may be big and thick – 9 millimeters and 158.7 grams – but reviewers found it sturdy and solid. There is certain fullness to the contour that helps the grip – something unique when most phone designers are attempting to shave off every millimeter of space. The body is metallic and the rounded back makes the handling experience even better.

2.The battery is probably the superstar of the HTC 10. The USB-C port and the super-fast charger make life easy for the frequent flyer with juice that lasts more than a day-and-half. The Snapdragon 820 processor is super efficient while the charging time is just about 90 minutes every alternate day. Looks like we’ve found the answer to all quick-draining phone models… at least for the near future.

3.David Pierce of ‘The Wired’ believes that the sound produced by a phone is directly linked to the laws of physics though he thinks that the HTC 10 has worked a miracle by making the phone sound as good as it can get. It supports AirPlay streaming, high-resolution audio, has better than average speakers that allows calibration to one’s specific hearing needs and headphones. It isn’t incredible, but it has gotten reasonably better.

4.There was a time when HTC used to do a lot of skilling and software development work on top of the Android. Now that things are way better on Android, the HTC 10 pulls back smartly. It retains several Google apps such as the Gmail, Google Phones etc. It also integrates the moving-picture feature into Google apps.

5.Given the trend of the times where smartphones are measured in terms of screen size and camera quality, the HTC 10 comes up trumps. At 5.2 inches, the screen hits middle-ground while the 2560 x 1440 pixels is sharp enough to keep away the jagged edges from our sight.

Top-5 things that DO NOT work for the HTC 10:

1.The HTC 10 cannot be an iPhone. We know this sounds blasphemous to the Apple fan boys who feel that nothing else can be as good as an iPhone. However, the fact remains that HTC 10 does appeal to similar sort of people. While it succeeds in carrying out the everyman design that Apple specializes in, HTC misses a trick with hits haphazardly placed buttons and ports. And, there aren’t too many shiny parts.

2.Analysts are unanimous that there is strictly nothing wrong with the HTC 10, barring some niggles with the camera. It is a good phone, with excellent specs and great software delivery more than capable performance. But, would you recommend it over an iPhone or a Galaxy S7 Edge?

3.The HTC 10 camera shouts louder than it needs to. People are now tired of the ultra-pixel claims. At 12 megapixels, the HTC 10 sounds better than the best. However, all it provides is a decent image quality with sharper reflexes while shooting. Where it lacks is in dynamic range, resulting in pictures losing out on possible sharpness. It may be a good idea for HTC to look elsewhere when it comes to the technology of the camera.

4.The HTC 10 is not an offensive design in any way. Just that it is a bit too generic and appears to be a carry forward of the legacy from the M7 and the M8. Letting go of the HTC signature dual front-facing speakers is uncalled for, as what they have in place doesn't really add to the design class.  A tweeter in the earpiece and a woofer at the bottom edge of the phone – each with its own amplifier – might do the trick for music lovers, but aesthetically it really falls short.

5.The price point of USD 700 appears stiff when compared with what other Android cameras have to offer in terms of waterproof body, distinctive design and better cameras.

So, when does the phone launch in India? Reports suggest that it could be any time soon, though the company has not yet given a specific date. Another factor that users in India can look forward to relates to the two variants that the company is proposing – the first comes with the Snapdragon 820 processor and the second is a watered down Snapdragon 652 processor.

Tags : HTC 10