HTC’s next flagship smartphone will reportedly feature customizable sensors in the metal band

Way back in September 2016, a rumored device called the HTC Ocean leaked out in a video showing off a novel feature — sensors in the metal band around the phone that allowed for customizable functions. Back then it seemed like a nice concept device, but now VentureBeat is reporting that the Ocean is real, and it will be announced as the HTC U next month.

The HTC U will reportedly feature a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display, Snapdragon 835 processor, 12MP rear and 16MP front-facing cameras, up to 128GB of storage, and Edge Sense, the sensor-laden metal band around the phone that will let you control a number of different features. It will also run Android Nougat 7.1, and HTC’s Sense 9 interface.

Despite being HTC’s flagship phone for 2017, the HTC U will be the third “U” phone it has released this year, following up the HTC U Play and U Ultra. Why? Who knows. The HTC U is expected to be announced in April, and a global release will follow in May.