Android One returns to its usual expensive form with the HTC U11 Life

The HTC U11 Plus may be on all the headlines at the moment, with the flagship having being confirmed for a November 2 launch earlier in the day, but a more subdued release looks to also be on the cards, in the guise of the U11 Life.

With the Xiaomi Mi A1 released last month, the U11 Life is set to be the second device to be released in Google's reborn Android One program, which makes for good news, as it might be a sign that the program is finally going to extend its arms to the larger OEMs.

The U11 Life is expected to sport a 5.2-inch FHD display, with Corning Gorilla Glass for protection. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 630 and will feature 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and a front-facing fingerprint reader. Camera-wise, it opts for a single 16 MP rear camera with support for 4K recording, and a 16 MP selfie shooter. NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, IP67 certification, and Android 8.0 Oreo complete the package.

While the U11 Life looks to be an impressive device, HTC always seems to find a way to drop the ball on their devices, and this one is no exception, with the device featuring a massively disappointing 2600 mAh battery, and suffering from a worrying lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack. It opts for USB Type-C, however, and ships with HTC's uSonic headphones that can be connected via the USB port. 

There's also the issue of price, with the device being slated to retail for 400 Euros, which comes out to US$470. The Mi A1, although not without its issues, has more impressive features, and costs just about half of what is being touted for the U11 Life. So much for affordable devices, we suppose.