HTC promised to adorn the U Ultra with a Sapphire
glass, specifically for the top end 128GB model. That model will launch in
Taiwan first next week on March 28.
The 64GB option with regular Gorilla Glass 5 cost
NTD 23,900, the equivalent of US$ 780/€ 730. The 128GB/Sapphire option goes up to
NTD 28,900, US$ 945/€ 880, that’s a solid 20% markup.
More importantly, it’s well over the US$ 100/€ 100
premium we’re used to paying when going up in storage, even if it’s from 64GB
to 128GB. Sure, Sapphire is expensive and hard to manufacture, but the HTC U
Ultra is hardly affordable to begin with.
There’s no indication when the 128GB/Sapphire Ultra
will visit other countries, its 64GB/GG5 twin is already on sale in the US and
Europe. Note that no matter which version you choose you still get a Sapphire
lens cover.
