It’s a sad fact of cellular life that there’s something about “lite” versions of flagship smartphones which is invariably disappointing. Trying to take what makes a flagship phone special, and distill down from it those core competencies and emotional appeal to a more affordable price point all too often results in a subpar device with a name that over-promises. Trying to escape that black hole of mediocrity is the HTC U11 life, a $300 version of the well-reviewed but niche-selling HTC U11.