The HTC 10 is the first Android phone to officially support AirPlay

HTC's newly announced HTC 10 looks like a real winner. But it's also got another cool trick: It supports AirPlay, Apple's wireless streaming protocol.

Although there are third-party apps, like doubleTwist, that let you stream music to an Apple TV from an Android device, the HTC 10 is the first Android phone to have the feature built right in.

It's not full AirPlay streaming, mind you -- only audio to the Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible speakers. For people with AirPlay devices, it's definitely one reason to consider purchasing the HTC 10 when it launches in early May.

Streaming audio from the HTC 10 to an AirPlay device is activated by a three-finger swipe gesture upwards from any screen, which opens up the HTC Connect app.

Of course, it may still be easier to purchase a Chromecast or Chromecast Audio and have the ability to beam both video and audio, respectively.

In 2012, HTC and Apple agreed to end their patent disputes and enter a 10-year patent licensing agreement. The deal covered then existing and future patents. It looks like the HTC 10 is finally taking advantage of that agreement.

The HTC 10 is HTC's best smartphone in years. After struggling to differentiate itself with defining features, HTC's on the rebound with not only the HTC 10, but also the Vive virtual reality headset.

The phone has a premium metal body, fast performance, a brilliant screen, great audio, long battery life and a camera that looks pretty solid -- pretty much everything you'd want in a flagship Android device.

We'll have a full review soon, but in the meantime, you can check out our hands on here.

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