You might be able to control HTC's next phone by squeezing it

Phones are about to get exciting again.

Underdog phone maker HTC is reportedly planning to release a new flagship phone (possibly called the HTC U or HTC Ocean) with sensors built into its edges that'll perform different tasks depending on how long you squeeze it, according to a detailed leak from Android Headlines.

If the leaked details are accurate, you'll be able to squeeze HTC's upcoming phone to perform actions like launching the camera or Google Assistant, or even toggling settings like the Wi-Fi hotspot. The new squeeze tech is apparently an attempt to improve one-handed use.

We're not saying the squeeze technology is a gimmick... but it sounds pretty weird. To prevent accidental triggering, the edge sensors can reportedly detect three different levels of squeeze sensitivity.

Other than the new grip controls, the phone is rumored to be a top-tier device with specs and performance on par with Samsung's Galaxy S8.

Leaked details describe a phone with a 5.5-inch Quad HD resolution display, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0. The phone will also reportedly run Android 7.1 Nougat.

A separate report from Android Authority corroborating the above details also claims HTC's upcoming flagship will have a 16-megapixel front-facing camera and a 12-megapixel back camera (yep, the selfie camera might have more resolution than the rear cam). Like the Pixel and Galaxy S8, HTC's phone is said to have "real-time" HDR+ processing to composite multiple images into one, in order to compensate for any camera lens limitations.

The phone's also rumored to have four microphones for recording surround sound audio. And speaking of audio, the phone will probably not have a headphone jack, just like on HTC's other phones.

HTC's reportedly planning to launch the phones sometime later this year. The whole squeeze technology idea sounds really goofy, but if it works and doesn't feel like a gimmick, it might have a chance at turning HTC's diminishing phone business around.