HTC U11 Eyes release date, specs news: Latest handset features front-facing dual camera to add bokeh effect in selfie shots

Promotional image for the new HTC U11 EyesHTC website

Staying true to its promise, HTC has recently unveiled a new smartphone model that features a dual-lens camera setup. The handset, called the U11 Eyes, is showcased as a must-have camera phone to capture impressive selfie shots, all thanks to the front-facing pair of lenses. This camera build will allow users to use live bokeh effect in their selfies, a feature usually delivered by HTC's previous dual camera handsets.

As reported by Engadget, the HTC U11 Eyes is a special smartphone with dual cameras at the front side to deliver the best quality of selfies. Specifically, the dual-lens setup is made of two 5-megapixel camera with HDR boost. Of course, the dual camera has the bokeh mode that adjusts the images' depth-of-field. This setting can be adjusted before the shot, or even if the photo is already taken. The U11 Eyes' dual camera also features the so-called beauty mode for "spectacular selfies."

Aside from high-quality photographs, the front-facing dual camera of the HTC U11 Eyes can be used to unlock the phone via facial recognition. HTC boasts that the smartphone's camera uses advanced technology that rivals that of the iPhone X's Face ID system, being able to recognize the difference between an actual human face and a face printed in a photo or video. The U11 Eyes' face unlock can also identify the user's facial features, even if an eyewear or a mask is worn. 

The HTC U11 Eyes is categorized as a mid-range smartphone, although it shares a handful of features with the handset maker's high-end devices like the U11+. For one, the U11 Eyes has the same "Liquid Design" as the U11+, but in terms of the hardware specs, the mid-tier phone is powered by the two-year-old Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. Instead of using a QHD display, the U11 Eyes sports a 2,160x1,080 LCD screen. Unlike the U11+, the U11 Eyes has no BoomSound speakers with stereo and Hi-Fi output, and the smartphone only has three microphones instead of four, The Verge reported.

Other features packed into the HTC U11 Eyes is the edge sense, allowing users to access different apps and perform functions by squeezing the sides, as well as the 3,930mAh battery and water and dust resistance. The smartphone has a fingerprint reader positioned at the rear side. The U11 Eyes is now available in Hong Kong for HK $3,898, or around USD $500. It will be released in China later this month, although there are still no details regarding its launch in the United States and the international market.