I want this signature HTC One feature to make a comeback on Pixel phones

The HTC One (M7) was released way back in 2013 and is among the best Android phones I’ve ever owned. It was gorgeous, powerful, and a joy to use thanks to HTC’s Sense Android skin, which really stood out from the crowd back in the day.

While there are plenty of gorgeous and well-made phones out there today with more power than I need, not a lot of them have the signature feature I loved on my old HTC One — dual front-facing speakers. As a Pixel user, this is the feature I want to see on upcoming Google phones, but what are the chances of that actually happening?

I wouldn’t quite call myself an audiophile, but sound quality is important to me. HTC’s dual front-facing speakers offered a great audio experience since the sound was projected directly at me when using the phone. My Pixel, on the other hand, has one front-facing speaker up top and a bottom-firing speaker, so the sound isn’t completely directed at me when watching videos. This makes a big difference when it comes to audio, as front-facing speakers offer fuller sound and a more immersive experience.

There was also less of a chance of me muffling the sound on my old HTC One because of the placement of the speakers. I tend to muffle the sound on my Pixel because the palm of my hand covers up the bottom speaker when holding the phone in landscape mode, so I have to make sure to hold it a bit differently than I’m used to to avoid this. I also tend to place the phone down in portrait mode on my lap while lounging on the bed or sofa, which also muffles the sound of the bottom speaker and ruins the audio experience.

But better sound is not the whole story. Design comes into play here as well. The metal speaker grills below and above the screen just looked great. They gave the HTC One a distinct look many copied in that era. They gave the phone character you won’t find on most flagships today, which all look more or less the same from the front.

Sure, the two speakers made the phone taller, but I didn’t mind. I was willing to live with a slightly taller phone if that meant a better sound experience and a cool design. However, not many people are willing to make that compromise today.

Front-facing speakers are still a thing but aren’t nearly as common as they were a decade ago. While you won’t find them on the latest Pixels, Galaxies, and most other phones, they are still present on devices like the Sony Xperia VI and a few others.

While I want front-facing speakers, I’m not willing to ditch the Pixel lineup for them. I really want to see them on upcoming phones from Google and Samsung, two of my favorite brands. However, the chances of that happening anytime soon are not high for a few reasons.

Since the release of the HTC One, phones have gotten a lot taller. While the aspect ratio of phone displays back in 2013 was 16:9, most manufacturers these days — including Google — use displays with an aspect ratio of around 19:9, which means the handsets are taller by default. And when you pair that with larger and larger displays overall, adding dual speakers up front would make phones even taller, making them uncomfortable to use for some.

Then there are design considerations. Modern smartphones flaunt super-slim bezels for a sleek look, and squeezing in two front-facing speakers would definitely bulk them up (just look at the Sony Xperia 1 V in the image above). And if we’re talking HTC One M7-sized speakers, we’d be looking at even thicker bezels, which might clash with today’s minimalist aesthetic. Sure, some folks — like me — might appreciate the throwback and the extra personality it brings, but I think most users these days are all about that sleek, modern look. And that’s likely a big reason why phone makers are hesitant to bring back dual front-facing speakers.

Unfortunately, front-facing speakers are also a feature mainly desired by smartphone nerds and are not something the average smartphone user cares much about, so there’s not that much incentive for manufacturers like Google to start using them again. So while Google did release phones with dual front-facing speakers — the last one was the Pixel 3 series — I don’t see it bringing this feature back from the dead. But if it will, the Pixel lineup will become even more appealing to me.

What about you? Do you want to see dual front-facing speakers make a comeback? Let me know in the poll above, and share your reasons in the comment section.