The Squeezable HTC U11

The HTC U11 looks like any regular smartphone, but it does have one surprise up its sleeve-- users can "squeeze" the 5.5-inch handset to control apps, camera and more.

HTC U11Dubbed "Edge Sense," the system consists of pressure sensors below the volume buttons on the sides. A calibration tool allows users to set a short and long squeeze, and the two actions can be configured in different ways. For instance, one can squeeze the phone to summon the camera, followed by either a short squeeze to take a selfie or a long squeeze to switch to the rear-facing camera.

HTC adds the phone ignores "false squeezes" caused by pockets and the like, while an eventual software update will allow users to configure any app to take advantage of app functionality. The company also suggests one use a squeeze to summon one of the two included voice-controlled assistants, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

In further tech details, the U11 carries a 2560 x 2550 resolution display, 2.45GHz Snapdragon 835 CPU, 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, 16MP rear-/12MP front-facing cameras and a 3000mAh battery. Connectivity comes through NFC, Bluetooth and wifi, and a fingerprint sensor, light sensor, proximity sensor, magnetic sensor and gyroscope are included. The body is IP67-rated for water- and dust-resistance, and is coated with a "liquid glass surface" for an ultra shiny look.

The U11 hits the market later this year in silver, blue, black, white and red colour options.

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