HTC has had a pretty torrid year.
Last year's flagship M9 didn't perform well and Daily Star Online called its mid-range A9 smartphone, "The most frustrating phone we've ever reviewed".
Now HTC is back with a new and completely original device simply called the HTC 10.
The Taiwanese tech firm has gone back to basics with its latest phone and it's a very smart move.
Working closely with Google they've removed all the bloatware and duplicate apps that usually crowd Android phones and made something a whole lot more user friendly.
But can this smartphone really give Apple and Samsung a run for their money?
Daily Star Online has put it to the test and here's our full review.
LOOK AND FEEL
HTC has long been famed for groundbreaking design but the 10 has left us feeling slightly flat.
There's nothing wrong with its all-metal body and chamfered edge, but it's certainly not going to be winning any gongs – especially when compared to Samsung's stunning Galaxy S7 edge.
The new design also makes the HTC 10 feel chunky in your hand which isn't going to suit those with petite palms.
However, it's not all bad news as, like all HTC devices, the 10's build quality is truly first class.
This smartphone feels solid and tough enough to survive life on the inevitable two-year contract.
If you want an industrial looking phone the HTC 10 won't disappoint, but if you want the best looking phone in town this certainly isn't it.
HTC 10 in pictures latest smartphone HTC revealed
DISPLAY
HTC has fitted its flagship smartphone with a beautiful Quad HD display.
The pixel-packed screen boasts an impressive 2560 x 1440 resolution that makes browsing the web, playing video games and editing your photos an absolute joy.
This new display is bright, vivid, responsive and made of Gorilla Glass, which should help it take a fall on the pavement.
HTC has done a fine job with its new screen but we're not convinced it's quite up there with some of the competition.
Samsung has raised the bar with its super AMOLED displays and it's left its rivals needing to raise their game.
CAMERAS
Although we've loved many of HTC's previous devices they've often been let down by their cameras.
Luckily, if you opt to splash your cash on the HTC 10 you'll be treated to some much-improved smartphone snappers.
This new flagship packs 12 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front facing cameras, both of which offer excellent image quality.
The HTC 10 copes well in most conditions with pictures looking crisp, colourful and sharp.
There's also an excellent manual mode which gives you more control over what you're taking.
HTC 10 Camera Test
Along with decent pictures the 10 can also record video in full 4K Ultra HD quality with Hi-Res audio sound also included.
Just be warned that shooting in this format will make a major dent in your phone's memory and should be used sparingly.
Although the cameras are good taking pictures feels strangely buggy.
Hitting the shutter doesn't always mean your getting a photo and the phone also appeared to struggle to focus when trying to shoot objects close up.
That said, these new cameras are a huge improvement over HTC's previous efforts and have finally put the firm on the smartphone snapper map.
"The HTC 10 is simply not exciting enough and for its high price"
DAILY STAR ONLINEBATTERY
The HTC 10 has a 3000 mAh battery tucked inside its all-metal shell and it will easily see you through a day.
To see just how good the HTC 10 is, we put it through our gruelling Star Wars trilogy test and it fared well.
After the six-hour film binge there was 21% left in the tank which is OK but not top of our battery list – Samsung's S7 edge still had over 50%.
If things do get low there's a Low Power and Extreme Power mode which will keep the juice flowing a bit longer.
In fact, the Extreme Power mode switches all non-essential apps off, leaving you with basic functions such as phone calls, text messaging, and email.
When you do finally run out of gas the HTC 10 can be fast charged with a speedy USB-C charging cable which, unlike other rivals, comes thrown in the box for free.
This power boost means your phone will be 50% full in just 30-minutes.
ANDROID
One of the biggest problems with Android devices are the tweaks mobile firms make to Google's operating system.
This tinkering often leaves devices brimming with duplicate apps and annoying bloatware.
HTC has been determined to put an end to this confusing clash by working closely with Google.
Together they have stripped back the HTC Sense skin until it was much closer to the stock version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
That is a very big deal. Especially when you compare the HTC 10 with its biggest rival – Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge
This 5-star rated smartphone is marred by its clunky icons, eye-spanking colours and slew of irritating preinstalled apps, some of which are duplicates of Google's own Android applications.
These duplicates, such as web browsers, email software and photo apps are a confusing quirk of the Android operating system.
But with Google's help, HTC has whittled these down so users only get one app for each task.
It's a smart move and should ensure that Android newcomers are not left feeling intimidated by the HTC 10, especially when compared to the bloatware-filled Galaxy S7 Edge and LG's G5.
HTC has also included its new Freestyle layout which allows users to fully customise their phone.
This breaks free from Android's traditional grid-based layout to make something a lot more fun and pictorial.
Although Freestyle takes a bit of getting use to it's a nice way of making the phone look different from masses.
SPEED & MEMORY
Powering the HTC 10 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM – both keep everything ticking along as smoothly as a newly laid road.
And with this power even the most intensive smartphone owners will struggle to get the HTC 10 to stutter.
There's also plenty of space to your store your files with the HTC 10 shipping with either 32GB or 64GB expandable storage.
With a microSD card slot included you can expand your in-built storage up to whopping 2TB.
And yes, unlike LG and Samsung – HTC supports Adoptable Storage, which means you can merge the device's internal capacity with the microSD so that it appears as one large save location.
EXTRAS & PRICE
HTC has packed their new flagship with plenty of tasty bonus features.
There's a decent fingerprint scanner on the front of the phone which unlocks the device in a flash.
HTC's BoomSound speakers are also back and sound as good as ever.
Music fans are also treated to Hi-Res audio playback and there's even some Hi-Res ready headphones in the box.
The firm is also set to launch noise cancelling headphones in the coming months which will get their power from the USB-C port rather than needing a hefty battery pack.
Sadly, unlike its main rivals the HTC 10 isn't waterproof and there's no Apple-style 3D Touch display.
If you fancy buying the HTC you'll need deep pockets with the basic 32GB model costing £569.
Taking out a contract will set you back around £37 per month.
VERDICT
We really like what HTC has done with its latest smartphone.
Going back to basics is a brilliant idea and having a phone that does everything well, but with minimal fuss will appeal to many.
The screen, build quality and battery are all excellent and HTC has finally made a camera worth capturing your most precious memories.
There's also some nice extras with the device including a fast charger and Hi-Res headphones in the box.
Our only gripe with this new flagship is the design.
It's simply not exciting enough and for its high price there's much better looking phones on the market.
Many consumers really care about style and with Samsung and Apple leading the way, we wonder if HTC may struggle to convince consumers to pop it in their pocket, especially as it comes with such a high price.
If you want a sturdy, dependable and easy-to-use Android phone you won't find much better than the HTC 10, but if you want the best Android phone of the year Samsung's S7 still has the edge.
Related articlesSource: HTC 10 review: This new smartphone is bold and brilliant but it does have a problem
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