Everything you need to know about the HTC One M9?
As sure as it is that the sun will rise and set, so too is the HTC One M9 assured to follow last year's HTC One M8, with the rumour mill already churning out all manner of goodies.
What's most exciting is that we're likely not far off from a release - the latest theories put the HTC One M9 launch as soon as March 1, mere weeks away.
Although the phone's formal name is still shrouded in much mystery - HTC is reportedly canning its popular 'One' branding, instead reportedly launching as the 'HTC Hima' - the handset is expected to feature a mass of premium components.
Also at the forefront of chatter is talk of a MediaTek chip being built into the phone, as well a beefed-up variant of the device called the HTC Hima Ace Plus.
Tipped to follow the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in joining the QHD display revolution, the HTC One M9 specs sheet will reportedly be enhanced by either a Snapdragon 805 or 810 processor (or perhaps a MediaTek chip instead). Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS has also been tipped to run the show.
Set to go head-to-head with the likes of the iPhone 6 for smartphone supremacy, the HTC One M9's unveiling is likeliest to be sometime around the Barcelona-based Mobile World Congress gathering in March - we won't place our lot on March 1 just yet.
We'll continue to update this post with all the latest HTC One M9 release date details and rumours moving forward. Bookmark it not to be kept up to date on all things M9 related.
HTC One M9 Release Date
Although many of its competitors using the annual MWC conference to launch their latest smartphone wares, HTC prefers to avoid the scrum and go out on its own.
Despite this, HTC is widely tipped to be planning a March 1 launch, with the firm having already put out an invite to 'join us to see what's next' for that very date.
In recent years, the company’s flagship phones have been announced either in the weeks before, or after, the mobile-centric show.
MWC 2015 is scheduled to be held between March 2 and 5, so we'd expect to see the One M9 unveiled sometime around those dates - whether before or after - at the very least.
If the company follows last year’s efforts – the M8 was both announced and made available for purchase on March 25 – you might even be able to buy the One M9 immediately after launch. This would lead us to believe a post-MWC announcement is more likely than a pre-show unveiling.
This post-MWC launch window will likely see it go on sale at the same time as an army of rivals.
We would expect the M9 to hit retailers within weeks of both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Sony Xperia Z4, in what will be one of the busiest periods of the year for new handsets.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price
HTC One M9 News
Before you go getting too excited, hold up. It's been suggested that the HTC One M9 might not even go by that name. According to claimed insider sources, the Taiwanese manufacturer will adopt an all-new naming convention for its future flagship offerings.
The leak, which came courtesy of serial Twitter-based tipster @Upleaks, stated: “OK, here’s a “little” leak; Next HTC flagship is NOT the M9. They will not use simple codename like M* anymore.”
Although dismissing the HTC One M9 name, concrete details on what the device will actually be called are still few and far between.
While it has been suggested that the M9 could actually be known at the 'HTC Hima', it is currently unclear whether this is a development name or the full production title.
Lending further credence to the 'Hima' theory is the revelation that HTC could be working on a phablet-sized version of its next flagship smartphone. The name tipped for this device? Only the HTC Hima Ace Plus.
This purportedly powerful slate will tout a 5.5-inch display with a mega 1440 x 2560 resolution. Also expected on board is a Snapdragon 810 chip clocked at 2.3Ghz, paired with 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage.
Personally, we'd be surprised if HTC turned its back on the ‘One M’ brand. A series which has revived the company’s ailing smartphone fortunes, the product line is as key to the company – and as recognisable to the public – as its Desire efforts in years gone by.
The branding re-jig could be a reponse to growing consumer concerns over complex naming structures in tech however, which could mean HTC is looking to simplify its line-up to help the public throw down their cash.
SEE ALSO: Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date, Rumours, News Specs and Price
HTC One M9 Rumours
The era of QHD phones is firmly upon us and there have been suggestions the HTC One M9 will follow the trend to become the next high-end handset to move beyond Full HD into the realms visual supremacy.
According to certain reports, the M8 will adopt an LG G3-mimicking 2560 x 1440-pixel QHD panel.
This isn't a foregone conclusion, however. Contrasting reports have suggested the M9 will retain the same 5-inch, Full HD panel bestowed upon its predecessor.
While screen quality is still open for debate, so too is size. While a handful of leaks have suggested that the One M9 will match its smartphone rivals in stature, it is widely believed the device will line up smaller than either the G3 (5.5 inches) or the Galaxy Note 4 (5.7 inches).
At present, it appears likely that the M9 will be bestowed with a new 5.2-inch form factor. While this is larger than either the M8 (5-inch) or the M7 (4.7-inch), it's still considerably smaller than many rival devices.
Supply chain sources have gone as far as leaked an image purporting to be of the M9's 5.2-inch QHD panel.
The benefit of bringing a hi-res QHD display to a smaller panel is simple – a higher pixel density and even crisper visuals. The One M9 could feature a 564ppi density, sharper than either the G3 (534ppi) or Note 4 (515ppi).
The similarities with devices such as the Note 4 won’t stop there, either.
Further HTC One M9 rumours have suggested the phone will pack the same 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor as some existing phones.
Again throwing questions into the air, further reports have claimed the M9 could adopt the all new, 64-bit Snapdragon 810 chipset set to be introduced to devices in early 2015.
This will reportedly by paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card.
The latest rumours for the One M9 'Hima' see a new entrant to the chipset fray - namely a MediaTek offering.
Coming courtesy of the Chinese media, the thinking is that MediaTek will supply a high-end system-on-a-chip to usurp Snapdragon's hold on the Android market.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price
HTC One M9 Specs
The HTC One M8 is less than a year old but its spec sheet is already looking old hat when compared with the latest throng of high-end smartphones. According to latest reports, the HTC One M9 is about to rectify this.
The One M8’s camera was a feature that was much anticipated, but ultimately failed to impress. The phone’s 4-Ultrapixel dual-lens snapper stood out from the competition, but not necessarily for the right reasons.
With the M9, the Taiwanese manufacturer looks set to revert to toeing the line. While a 20.7-megapixel, OIS-enhanced camera is tipped to feature on the phone’s rear, selfie lovers could be set to rejoice as a 13-megapixel front-facing snapper has also been rumoured for inclusion.
If this crowd-following camera doesn’t tickle your fancy, HTC has hinted that a potentially surprising addition could be on the cards.
Back in April, HTC imaging specialist Symon Whitehorn hinted that the manufacturer was already working on smartphone cameras with optical zoom lenses.
“Optical zooming in a smartphone is not too far off at all for HTC,” he told Vodafone.
“I can’t give too much away, but within 12-18 months we’ll see huge advantages in phone optics.”
He added: “Two years ago I would have said that phones will never replace DSLRs. Now I’m not so sure.”
Going hand-in-hand with strong visuals is impressive audio and we don’t expect the Galaxy S6 rival to fall short on this front.
It wouldn’t be a HTC flagship without dual stereo speakers up front, and the One M9 is expected to once again pair its audio enablers with the company’s BoomSound audio-enhancement technology.
What’s more, based on latest leaks, the handset’s power-hungry array of innards will be serviced by a sizeable battery. Leaks have suggested the handset will keep on chugging thanks to a 3500mAh Lithium-Ion battery
SEE ALSO: LG G4 Release Date, Rumours, News, Specs and Price
HTC One M9 Price
A QHD display, 64-bit processor and innovative camera technology won’t come cheap. Throw in a luxurious brushed-metal design as well and the HTC One M9 price might not be too easy on your wallet.
As you might expect, there's currently no official word on the HTC One M9 price. Based on the company’s past handset launches, however, we wouldn’t expect to see the upcoming device offered up much below the £550-600 marker at launch.
What would you like to see HTC bestow upon its next flagship phone? Let us know via the comments section below.