Everything you need to know about the HTC One M9?
The annual flagship smartphone cycle is starting afresh for a number of manufacturers, and leading the list of eagerly awaited announcements is the HTC One M9 release date.
Continuing a flagship line which has paired high-end specs with premium design materials in recent years, the HTC One M9 is expected to be a direct follow-up to the HTC One M8 and the 2013-released HTC One (M7).
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 a Snapdragon 805 processor. 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 release date is expected to be announced shortly after the Barcelona-based Mobile World Congress gathering in March.
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
Whereas many of its competitors use the annual MWC conference to launch their latest smartphone wares, HTC prefers to avoid the scrum and go out on its own.
In recent years, the company’s flagship phones have been announced either in the weeks before, or after, the mobile-centric show. We don’t expect 2015 to be any different, either.
Although there's currently no word on an official day, the HTC One M9 release date is expected in the weeks surrounding the European gathering. MWC 2015 is scheduled to be held between March 2 and 5, so we'd expect to see the One M9 unveiled in mid to late March.
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, the leaks have failed to offer up any alternative naming convention for the handset.
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.
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 the HTC One M9 looks set to become the next high-end handset to move beyond Full HD into the realms visual supremacy.
According to latest reports, the M8 will adopt an LG G3-mimicking 2560 x 1440-pixel QHD panel. There are contrasting reports, however, as to just how big the handset’s screen will be.
While a handful of leaks have suggested that, unlike either the G3 (5.5 inches) or the Galaxy Note 4 (5.7 inches), the HTC One M8 will be on the smaller side of the flagship smartphone scale. Others have pitted it bang in the middle of the group.
It's been reported that a 5.5-inch panel is inbound, but it's more widely believed that the HTC One M9 will adopt 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.
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.
Although the first devices running the 64-bit Snapdragon 810 chipset are expected in early 2015, it's believed the M9 will join the Note 4 and Nexus 6 in packing the recently released – and still very powerful – 805.
This will reportedly by paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card.
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 16-megapixel, OIS-enhanced camera is tipped to feature on the phone’s rear, we wouldn’t be surprised if a Desire Eye-mimicking front-facing snapper. The company's camera-enhancing 'Zoe' feature is also set to feature.
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.
