According to the tweet, it seems that HTC will be following in the footsteps of Apple and some other Android OEMs by removing the headphone jack. This means that users who want to connect headphones to the handset will either have to rely on Bluetooth connections, or a pair of headphones with a USB-C connection (assuming the HTC U uses USB-C, which we reckon it probably will).
… and no 3.5mm jack…
this year Samsung might get one more user…— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) April 17, 2017
Based on the feedback of this rumor, users aren’t too happy with HTC’s possible decision. While it is possible that in the future USB-C will become the standard and will ultimately replace headphone jacks, at the moment there just aren’t that many USB-C headphones or speakers which makes it rather inconvenient for users.
Other rumored details include an IP57 rating which means it will have moderate water and dust resistance. There is no word on when the HTC U will be unveiled but we’ll keep an eye out if more details emerge.