HTC One M9 and M9 Plus both devices were recently spotted on the Compubench benchmark
HTC’s next big announcement is scheduled for March 1 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The smartphone maker is long rumored to unveil two new smartphones, HTC One M9 and HTC One M9 Plus at the event. Now HTC has dropped a big hint (almost a confirmation) that “something huge is coming”. That something huge is widely expected to be One M9 Plus. Yesterday, HTC USA took to Twitter to tease consumers and intensify buzz around its forthcoming devices.
Something HUGE is coming from HTC. Imagine [number][big thing] in space. And then [math term] that by [number]. #Madlib
— HTC USA (@HTCUSA) February 19, 2015
Rumors about HTC’s next flagship device have been floating around for months. In December, @upleaks reported that HTC was planning to drop the M9 naming pattern in favor of a new name “Hima.” But it confirmed earlier this month that Hima was the code name and the device will be marketed with the name HTC One M9. Below we take a detailed look at everything we know about HTC’s new device.
HTC One M9: design
Leaked prototypes obtained by French website Nowherelse.fr suggest that it will have the same aluminum metal casing as its predecessor. It shows the Duo speakers on top and bottom. Phandroid has also obtained a leaked image of the back panel of HTC One M9. In this image, the second camera of HTC One’s Duo camera setup is missing. The Duo camera was one of the most interesting things about M8.
Separately, popular accessories maker Spigen has listed its cases for HTC One M9 on Amazon ahead of the phone’s official launch next month. Though the front panel is not fully revealed, the back panel image shows dual-LED flash alongside the rear camera.
HTC One M9: specifications
The Taiwanese smartphone maker has tried hard to keep the specifications of its new phone a secret. However, supply chain source told Tim Culpan of @upleaks has learned that the phone will feature a 5-inch 1080p display, 3GB RAM, 32GB and 64GB of built-in storage with an option to expand further using microSD.
Meanwhile, the HTC One M9 and M9 Plus both devices have been spotted on the Compubench benchmark (via GSM Arena). The benchmark listing revealed specs of both devices. The benchmark listing shows HTC One M9 with 5-inch full HD display, 20MP main camera, 12MP front camera, and 3GB RAM. The selfie camera on One M9 records 2160p video, while the selfie video capacity of One M9 Plus is capped at 2,048 x 1,536p.
The benchmark reports that the HTC One M9 Plus will have a Quad HD display with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. Its screen size is listed as 5.1-inch, which contradicts previous reports that suggest that One M9 Plus will arrive with a 5.5-inch display. According to the Compubench listing, the M9 Plus will feature a MediaTek MT6795 processor and PowerVR Rogue G6200 graphics chipset. Both devices are expected to come with a 2,840mAh battery.
HTC One M9: software
The leaked Compubench benchmark listings show that the One M9 and M9 Plus will ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Of course, the software will have HTC’s Sense 7 interface on top. The M9 and its bigger sibling are expected to feature an upgraded camera sensor and expanded photo capabilities.
How much will it cost?
Upleaks claims that the HTC one M9 will be available on all major U.S. carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. Gizmodo says the device will likely be priced in the range of $200-$250. That price range makes sense considering it will have to compete with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S6 and Apple’s iPhone 6.
HTC wearable device
The Taiwanese company is also expected to unveil a new wearable device code named ‘Petra’ when it takes the stage at its pre-MWC event on March 1. Almost every other major smartphone maker has launched a wearable device to go alongside their smartphones.
According to Quentyn Kennemer of Phandroid, HTC Petra will work with both Android and iOS. It is rumored to have a 1.8-inch flexible display and up to three days of battery life. Petra will focus on health & fitness. That makes sense considering HTC has signed an agreement with Under Armor, which recently acquired popular fitness platforms like Endomondo, MyFitnessPal and MapMyFitness.
Despite all the rumors and leaks, we may not know everything about HTC’s forthcoming smartphones and the wearable device. We’ll have to wait until March 1 when HTC will officially reveal everything about these products.
