The HTC U12 is one of the most-anticipated flagship smartphones coming this year. The rumors are rife that the HTC U11 successor will launch in the early months of 2018, but it will most likely be at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) next month. However, it appears that the handset maker will avoid the said tech expo; thus, the announcement of the new U series phone will happen at a later date.

As reported by Android Headlines, the MWC 2018 participants may not see a glimpse of the HTC U12 during the event. The reason is not the company being not ready to unveil the U11 follow-up model, but because HTC is slated to hold a separate event after the MWC. As such, it is believed that the HTC U12 could arrive sometime in March or April.

HTC followers were expecting that the upcoming MWC 2018 would shed light on the next U series flagship handset. As the company has yet to reveal the actual name of the U11 successor, the smartphone is being unofficially called the HTC U12. Details will be confirmed very soon as the company formally launches the device in the coming months.

Flagship announcements are not new in the annual MWC gathering, and the reason for the expected non-appearance of the HTC U12 is still uncertain. Although, it is rumored that HTC is trying to avoid pitting its latest flagship directly against the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus smartphones, which will be showcased on the eve of the MWC 2018. In fact, Xiaomi also follows the lead of launching its flagship device at a later date, releasing the new MI 7 smartphone after the MWC.

According to the latest rumors, the HTC U12 will be among the first premium handsets to receive Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 845 chipset, giving it better performance and power efficiency. Leaked renders of the device's protective casing also suggest that the U12 will sport four cameras, with the front-facing and rear cameras each having a dual-lens setup. Dual cameras have become a trend in recent flagship releases, although, in the case of the HTC U12, a two-lens setup for the front and rear cameras would be a first in the smartphone industry.