The HTC Ocean a.k.a Ocean Note smartphone has been subject to all sorts of rumors and leaks in the past. Multiple sources have been bragging about the device's 'Edge Sense' feature that will help users to carry out a bunch of actions simply by tapping on the metal edges.

The device was scheduled to make an appearance at HTC's 'For U' event at the recently concluded CES (Consumer Electronics Show), but the Taiwanese handset maker took the wraps off two other smartphones -- the HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play -- without the aforesaid feature instead, Gadgets 360 reported.

If a recently surfaced report is anything to go by, smartphone lovers who have restlessly been waiting for the arrival of the HTC Ocean with Edge Sense feature will soon have something to cheer about. HTC is reportedly gearing up to announce the 'HTC U' smartphone with the Edge Sense feature next month.

HTC U Release Date

The HTC U will be unveiled either in mid or late April with the global release happening sometime in May, according to VentureBeat. The publication claims that the HTC U smartphone is actually the HTC Ocean that surfaced online earlier in the form of leaks, but despite bearing the code name 'Ocean,' there's absolutely nothing fishy about this device.

HTC U Specifications & Features

The HTC U will carry sensors in the metal, which will let users perform a slew of functions simply by tapping, squeezing, and swiping the metal edges on the left and right sides of the handset. Throwing more light on exactly how this feature will operate, tech tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks) shared a concept video that shows a couple using the feature to access apps and perform other functions.

The HTC U will feature a 5.5-inch WQHD display with 1440x2560 pixels resolution. It will be running on Android 7.1 Nougat with the company's own skin Sense 9 atop.

Under the hood, a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor will be firing up the device. It will either pack a 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded further via a microSD card slot. It will come with 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

The HTC U will reportedly dump the traditional headphone jack and will come with a slew of other features including Daydream support and the Sense Companion. The device will support dual-SIM (4G + 3G) dual standby card slots and USB Type-C port.