If you're considering one of the best affordable phones or possibly buying a Pixel 7a, it's worth checking out the latest HTC phone first. The HTC U23 Pro comes with a decent specification and a price tag of just £499 – and if you pre-order through HTC.com you can get a free pair of HTC True Wireless Earbuds Plus.
I have a soft spot for HTC, because for a long time it made some of the best Android phones: back in 2011 it was the third biggest phone maker by global market share, beaten only by Apple and Samsung. However, some bad decisions (going all-in on Windows Phone, for example) and intense competition from Chinese firms saw it slip speedily down the rankings. And that's a shame, because many of its phones were good devices let down by bad marketing; these days it's probably more renowned for its VR headsets than its phones.
