HTC has made official its first brand-exclusive device running Android Nougat 7.0.
Coming out as a Sprint exclusive, most of the specs and features for the new HTC Bolt have already been confirmed by supposed leaks prior to the launch. It is now official that the HTC Bolt is a mix of above-average and flagship hardware and design.
The new iteration is said to be a step-down version of the tech maker's current flagship, the HTC 10. At first glance, the design and body of the new handset are closely similar to the flagship. It has a 5.5-inch Super LCD-3 display with QHD resolution, as well as the all-metal aluminum build of the HTC 10. The HTC Bolt has IP57 certification, as well.
However, the HTC Bolt features a previous-generation Snapdragon 810 processor, paired with 3 GB of RAM. While there is only 32 GB of onboard storage inside, users can expand it for up to 2 TB via microSD support.
Meanwhile, the HTC Bolt also has a number of improved features. It sports a 16-MP rear camera with OIS and 4K video support and an 8-MP selfie snapper. The rest of the specs include a 3,200-mAh battery, NFC, and USB Type-C.
Most noted among the changes with the new iteration is HTC's decision to also forego the standard 3.5mm audio jack, much like the iPhone 7 series. The HTC Bolt has the USB-Type C port doubling up as its audio jack, though it also comes with HTC BoomSound support. In addition, another notable feature is Android Nougat 7.0, which comes right out of the box.
The HTC Bolt is priced at $600 for full retail, but it is also available via Sprint's 24-month contract. Rumors suggest that HTC will also launch the new iteration outside of the US as the HTC 10 evo, though it is unclear on when the rollout will be.
