HTC 10 was unveiled earlier this week and it becomes the latest flagship to be announced in 2016. Now that the device is here, we are beginning to get more about the specifications, features and essentially everything else about this smartphone.
Just like the rest of 2016 smartphone flagships, the HTC 10 brings along some amazing additions when compared to its predecessor, the HTC One M10. For the first time, you will have an HTC smartphone that features optical image stabilization in the front-facing snapper. This is just one of the major highlights; however, you will also be disappointed in the fact that the phone does not support wireless charging like Samsung Galaxy S7 does.
Speaking of Samsung Galaxy S7, this flagship brought back one of the features that were omitted in the Galaxy S6 – water and dust resistance. The phone features an IP68 rating, meaning that it is both water and dust proof. The fact that this feature was brought back after being dropped last year shows its significance as far as flagship smartphones are concerned. Owners of these devices can now use them worry-free, whether around pools of water or even in rainwater.
While it was touted that HTC 10 will feature some kind of water and dust resistance, it seems this is not the case. According to reports, the 10 comes with a rating of IP53, which simply means that there are no waterproofing or dust proofing capabilities on this device.
What this means is that in case you decide to shell out the $700 HTC is demanding for the 10, make sure you don’t walk around water pools or in rainwater. Of course, a few raindrops may not be a problem, but getting heavily rained on or maybe a shower will damage the device. Samsung Galaxy S7 is priced at $670 and given that it can last up to 30 minutes in water of up to 5 feet deep and still function properly, it is definitely a better deal than HTC 10. More so, the two smartphones come with the same spec sheet under the hood (for the U.S. variant of the Galaxy S7).
As for now, it cannot be determined whether this missing waterproof and dustproof feature will have a huge effect on the amount of sales the device makes. At the moment, preorders are open, but the HTC 10 will not start shipping until later in the month. HTC hopes that this device will revive its dwindling shares in the smartphone market after it was further messed up by last year’s HTC One M9.