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HTC U Ultra and Play shine on in glass

Two phones. Four colors. Lots of ooh la la.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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HTC knows how to make a good-looking phone, and the HTC U Ultra and U Play are gorgeous in glass.

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Inspired by water, HTC wanted to make phones that felt liquid and deep.

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The U Ultra, left, is larger than the U Play.

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The reflective phones capture and scatter light in four colors: white, pink, blue and black.

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Here's another look.

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The quality of light changes the phones' color.

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But it's the phones' second screen at the top and AI software inside that sets the U Ultra and U Play apart.

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You can see subtle reminders, like to get the milk.

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And you swipe among screens as a shortcut to your top apps.

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The weather alert.

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Here's what a calendar notification looks like.

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You'll do some settings setup to get started.

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You can choose everything from the music player to the weather, but I have a feeling that less is more.

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The phones run on Android 7.0.

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The Play has stepped down specs -- for example, its 16-megapixel camera isn't going to be as sharp as the Ultra's 12-"Ultrapixel" shooter, HTC said.

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You'll be able to see the U Ultra and U Play from even more angles in the next slides, including how reflective and smudgy the phone gets.

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There's no headphone jack and no water-resistant coating on either phone, but there is that gorgeous body and all that AI. Read our hands-on impressions of the HTC U Ultra and U Play.

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