All you need to know about the $699 HTC 10

HTC has announced its flagship phone for 2016, called simply the HTC 10. The look is similar to the models it put out last year, the M9 and A9. It has an all-aluminum back, which is a popular look these days, and the specifications are in line with what has come out from other major smartphone companies this year. The HTC 10 runs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 processor and has 4GB RAM and 32GB storage. It adopts a 3,000mAh battery, which charges via a USB type C port. The phone also employs a 5.2in screen.

HTC has run into trouble in recent years and has struggled to shine in a crowded market. The HTC 10 once again does not offer many standout features or designs, which the Verge pointed out, but it has some unique elements.

The camera supports "UltraPixel" technology, which uses larger pixels to create better pictures in low-light environments. The phone adopts a 12MP camera with an aperture of f/1.8. HTC is not the first company to go this route, but it has struggled with picture quality in the past, so this may rectify that.

The phone also offers 24-bit quality audio with one speaker on each end of the phone. It includes a customizable audio profile so users can tune to audio to their liking. The phone’s “BoomSound” in this case comes from a woofer on the bottom and a front-facing speaker at the top for higher frequencies. Popular YouTube reviewer Marques Brownlee said this feature seems more like a solution in search of a problem and does not match the quality of dual front-facing speakers such as those in HTC's past flagship phones.

HTC does offer sound-cancelling headphones in the box, powered through the type C port on the phone. The HTC 10 is also the first Android phone that will work with AirPlay-certified speakers. That is great news for AirPlay suppliers, but only if the HTC 10 catches on.

Another notable change this year is HTC’s return to capacitive buttons on the front, reverting from the on-screen navigation buttons it had been using for a couple years. The central home button doubles as a fingerprint scanner, similar to the design on phones such as the Samsung Galaxy line.

While it seems likely that the HTC 10 will be a good smartphone, nothing greatly distinguishes it from the competition. The starting price of $699 could make it a tough sell. Samsung's Galaxy S7 has already been given great reviews, receiving the top rating among smartphones by Consumer Reports. Likewise, there are many options coming out of China these days for much less money. Xiaomi's Mi 5 also runs the Snapdragon 820 and sells for less than half the price.

However, HTC has proven that audio quality matters. Additionally, the company’s effort to expand compatibility to external peripherals is a move that will likely be welcomed by its stalwart supporters.