HTC teases 18 May 2023 phone launch, possibly HTC U23 Pro 5G

How do we tell HTC that our body is ready but our wallet isn't?

Earlier this week, HTC dropped a not-so-subtle teaser on its official Facebook page, hinting at a new product launch come 18 May 2023.

It’s unclear what HTC will launch, given its “Viverse” logo next to its brand name. Viverse is HTC’s cross-platform metaverse ecosystem where services and products co-exist to deliver a digital world beyond description, but the teased image looked more like the top half of a phone instead. Weird.

That said, a not-so-coincidental HTC leak by popular tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks on Twitter) came shortly two days after HTC’s teaser. The tipster showcased product images of a purported HTC U23 Pro 5G smartphone in two colours, with no further details about the phone’s specifications or features.

Credit: @evleaks on Twitter.

According to NotebookCheck, the HTC U23 Pro 5G might pack a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset with a 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED panel and 108MP main camera. It would also come with native HTC’s Viverse platform compatibility.

It remains to be seen if these specs are sufficient for a truly immersive AR or VR experience, given that it requires – at a minimum – extremely high refresh rates and obscene processing power to deliver a non-stuttery digital experience. That said, it’s great that HTC is still pushing out phones, and we really anticipate HTC’s return to its flagship-making roots.

Source: HTC (Facebook), @evleaks (Twitter), NotebookCheck