HTC's U11 Life will be the first Android One handset to launch in Australia

Nokia’s new range of smartphones may have been the first Android One devices announced for Australia, but HTC will pip them at the post with the local launch of the HTC U11 Life. Hitting shelves on March 14, the U11 Life will be the first Android One powered smartphone to actually launch in Australia.

Android One is an unmodified version of Android predominantly maintained by Google rather than the device manufacturer. Google promises that all Android One devices will get at least two years of major operating system updates and three years of security updates. Prior to Android One, this kind of "guarantee" was only available on Pixel or Nexus smartphones.

The U11 Life is billed as HTC’s “affordable premium” device. It shares much of its design DNA with last year’s flagship U11, and retains many of its traditionally high-end features, including IP67 water-resistance, USB Type-C charging, squeezable edges, and bundled active-noise canceling USB Type-C headphones. It does however also share the U11's lack of a headphone jack, hence the USB Type-C buds.

Other key specifications for the U11 Life include a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 630 processor, 64GB of expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, a 16MP rear-facing camera, and a 2,600mAh battery.

The U11 Life will retail for $599 and be available outright through HTC Australia's website. 

Vodafone will sell the U11 Life on its range of Red plans, starting from $30 per month. You'll be able to pay off the U11 life over 12, 24, or 36 months. Monthly repayments are as follows (excluding any potential loyalty discounts):

• 12 months: $49.92 per month
• 24 months: $24.95 per month
• 36 months: $16.64 per month

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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