Unsurprisingly, the HTC U12 won't be at MWC 2018

We weren't expecting HTC to launch its next flagship phone at MWC 2018 in Barcelona at the end of February, but it's now all but confirmed with rumors matching our initial thoughts.

In recent years, HTC's presence at MWC hasn't been as significant as firms such as Samsung, Sony and Huawei, with a booth away from the main hall where most of the big names reside, and no press conference to speak of.

This led us to believe that the launch of the HTC U12 wouldn't be until after the huge mobile gathering in Barcelona, and now AndroidHeadlines has word from an inside source that "the company is planning to host a separate event after MWC, though we were not given a specific date, but it will probably land in either March or April."

HTC's got form

Take a look back at HTC's last couple of flagship launches, and it's even more clear that an MWC arrival for the U12 was always unlikely.

The HTC U11 launched in May 2017, while the HTC 10 showed up in April 2016. You've got to go back to 2015 and the launch of the HTC One M9 for its last significant MWC appearance.

We'll be reporting live from MWC to bring you all the latest launches, news and hands on reviews, although if you're hoping for anything new from HTC, don't hold your breath.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.