Just in case you're confused (like I did at first), this is a new variation of the HTC One M9 – the HTC One M9s and it just got officially launched in Taiwan for TWD 12900 (RM1725.45). There are some changes in the hardware, so here it is:-

• Mediatek Helio X10 
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB storage (microSD expandable memory up to 2TB)
• 5-inch FullHD LCD display
• 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6mm
• 13MP rear camera, 4MP front camera 
• 2G/3G and LTE, Bluetooth v4.1, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, GPS with A-GPS, and GLONASS and Beidou.
• 2840 mAh battery

News about the all-new HTC One M9+ model and its E9 variants were recently leaked at MWC 2015 and about a month later, the new One M9+ has been launched in a press conference in Beijing, China on 8 April 2015. Based on the HTC One M9, the One M9+ has the following tech specs including a 2.2GHz MediaTek MT6795T chipset with octa-core CPU processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB built-in storage, 5.2-inch QHD (1440 x2560 pixels) display, 20MP rear f/2.2 camera with secondary lens on the top and an UltraPixel front camera. It uses Dolby Surround technology for its BoomSound speakers and comes with a 2840 mAh battery along with Android 5.0 Lollipop and HTC Sense. Released for China initially, the China-release models are equipped with a fingerprint sensor/scanner, which supports the payment system of AliPay in China. No news if this may come for international versions as well but it will be available in Amber Gold, Gunmetal Grey and Silver Gold. There is no word yet on Malaysia release dates or its retail price in Malaysia so we’ll have to wait for now. 

DirectD is one of the better known third-party mobile device sellers and retailers in Malaysia. This is due to their often lower than average prices and early (before official release) inventory of the latest smartphones, tablets, mobile devices and more. Recently, they held the grand opening for their latest DirectD Gadget Mega Store here in Petaling Jaya. Featuring 18000 square feet and lots of nearby parking space, DirectD say that they have the largest mobile phone shop in Malaysia yet. While there are more than 300 smartphones and tablets and 1000 or so accessories available at a time, the store also has the latest devices on display, a dedicated service center with comfortable waiting area and telco center for both new subscribers and bill payment. These telcos include DiGi, Maxis, U Mobile and YES with plans to add more soon. In addition, free WiFi is available throughout the store. Individual buyers can also opt to pay via installment plan or credit card while wholesale buyers are also welcome with no minimum order required. The DirectD Gadget Mega Store will be open from 9.00am to 9.30pm everyday. Here are some of the highlights and promotions available;

• located at Lot 11, Jln 51A/219, PJ (next to Mazda service Centre, same row with Avon and Hong Leong bank, along side Federal Highway)
• a snap post & win contest!
• the first 50 or so customers were able to buy a power bank at just RM1 or phone at RM10 or bid for a smartphone starting from RM10!
• those who came could also buy 1 and get free 1 original Lumia 530 smartphone
• "I am a member" membership program with redemption prizes and other benefits
• "I am a dealer" dealership program 

HTC has never been popular for its marketing methods, but the company is trying hard to change that this year. The Taiwanese smartphone giant recently unveiled five new teasers for the upcoming HTC One M9 flagship device which is all set to hit the global markets soon. All the five videos focus on the important features of the device which helps the user in their everyday life. The first video gives an overview of all the features of the HTC One M9 smartphone. It particularly focuses on the premium metal design of the phone. The new flagship now comes in a two tone metal finish which is highlighted in the promo. The second video focuses on the camera of the device. It highlights the 20MP rear sensor with sapphire glass cover as well as the 4MP Ultrapixel shooter that takes great selfies even in dim light. One of the biggest highlights of HTC's flagship devices have been its BoomSound speakers and the third video shows off this feature with Dolby Audio Surround tech. Finally, the fourth and the fifth promos concentrate on the software and connectivity features of the One M9 like Blinkfeed, personalization options, 3 finger swipe for streaming and so forth but you can check them out for yourself below:

TENAA is a good source of information about upcoming smartphones these days. Recently, a new model in the HTC One family was spotted on this certification website, namely the HTC One E9. Just last week, the company announced the HTC One M9 flagship model and looks like it is now focusing on the less popular models. The highlight of the device is it's monstrous camera at the back. The phone will feature Mediatek's 64-bit MT6795 octa-core processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM. Instead of the 5.1-inch full HD display on the One M9, this particular model will feature a much larger 5.5-inch display with QHD resolution. At the back, there will be a large 20MP sensor and up front, there are two camera options, a 13MP shooter and a 4MP Ultrapixel sensor. The device will measure just 7.5mm. In this thin body, HTC has managed to incorporate a 2800mAh battery. The phone supports dual SIM dual Standby and will run on the latest Android Lollipop with Sense 7.0 UI on top. The HTC One E9 will come in Metallic Gray, Brown Gold and White Rose Gold colors. The company has not yet officially revealed Malaysia pricing or release date details.

HTC announced the HTC One M9 flagship at MWC 2015 held in Barcelona, Spain earlier today. However, the One M9 wasn't the only product that the company unveiled at the event. HTC also announced its first fitness tracker called the HTC Grip at MWC this year. The Grip is a fitness oriented smart band designed for hard core fitness enthusiasts and athletes. The device is powered by Under Armor's UA Record platform. Its sensors can record and track a user's sleep patterns and workout regime. Like most smart bands these days, the Grip is water proof too. It features a 1.8-inch curved AMOLED displays which can show time, distance travelled and even notifications. Inside, there is a 100mAh battery which will power the device for up to 2.5 days on a single charge without GPS. However, if GPS is turned on, the battery life reduces to just 5 hours of continuous usage. The new HTC Grip will be compatible with both iOS and Android platforms. It will first be released in North America by Spring 2015 in Deep Teal and Lime colors. Unfortunately, the company has yet to announce plans for a Malaysia release date or pricing details. 

HTC was expected to announce a new flagship, HTC One M9 at the MWC event in Barcelona this year. However, the company has surprised its fans by introducing not one but three new devices at the event including the new HTC Vive virtual reality headset. This marks the Taiwanese giant's entry into this growing industry. The HTC Vive will directly compete with products such as the Oculus Rift, Samsung's Gear VR and Google Cardboard. The company developed this brand new VR headset in partnership with Valve, the famous game developer and distributor. It will use Valve's Steam VR tracking technologies for an immersive VR experience. The Vive features over 70 sensors and 360 degrees room tracking. It enables real world like interactions. For example, the user can walk and experience the virtual world with the headset at an impressive 90fps. There are two different VR controllers for the device with various VR experiences. HTC is partnering up with a number of well-known game developers and companies for developing a favorable ecosystem for its Vive headset. Some of the renowned names include Vertigo Games, Bossa, Dovetail Games, Wemo Labs, and Google. Even HBO, Lionsgate and the National Palace Museum in Taiwan will provide content for the company's newly announced headset. HTC has not yet announced an official price for the HTC Vive, but the company says that it will be available for purchase before the end of 2015. Meanwhile, the developer edition will be available in spring 2015.

HTC has finally made the HTC One M9 official and it has retained the same design philosophy as the previous generations. The new HTC One M9 features a refined design with dual anodization and scratch resistant coating. The phone is lighter and smaller than the One M8. The company has made some essential changes as well, like the power button is now placed on the side and the volume rocker keys have improved too. The new HTC flagship is not water or dust resistant, but the company will unveil a number of IP69 certified cases to make it more rugged. Like previous rumors suggested, the phone comes in new dual color tone options, like silver plus gold accent on the frame or pink plus gold accent. There are two other colors as well – Gun Metal Gray and Complete Gold.

Tech specs wise, the HTC One M9 features the new Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM onboard. The BoomSound speakers make a comeback, now with Dolby Surround Audio technology. The phone supports fast charging, however users will have to purchase a supported charger to use this tech. The rear camera is now from Toshiba, instead of the 4MP Ulrapixel sensor. This will be a 20MP rear camera and will support RAW capture along with 4K video shooting too. HTC has promised improved Zoe apps for a better camera experience as well. As for software, the HTC One M9 runs on Android 5.0 out of the box with the new Sense 7 UI on top. This Sense version brings new BlinkFeed features like lockscreen support, Yelp partnership etc. Sense 7 supports new themes as well, changing the overall looks of the device with just a click. Pricing and availability details have not yet been revealed, but a recent listing on Best Buy shows that HTC may sell the phone for $650 (RM2350). 

Full tech specs of the device are as given below. 

• 64-bit 2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
• Adreno 430 graphics
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB memory + expandable storage up to 128GB
• 5-inch display (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Super LCD3 441 ppi)
• 20MP rear camera (dual LED dual tone flash, Auto Focus, 4K, RAW Capture)+ 4MP Ultrapixel front camera
• 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6 mm| 157 grams
• Supports 4G / LTE / HSPA+, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS, USB 2.0
• features BlinkFeed, Zoe camera apps
• 2840 mAh battery (Fast Charge)
• Android 5.0 Lollipop + Sense 7
• Available in Gold / Gun Metal Gray / Silver + Rose / Gold + Pink

With MWC 2015 just a few hours or so away, HTC is all set to unveil its flagship smartphone of the year, the HTC One M9. The new HTC device is said to retain the design philosophy of its predecessors, which is actually a good thing considering all the praise that it received in the past few years. HTC UK recently released a teaser video for the One M9 on twitter. The video reveals little about the device but shows off a violet material ripple which could hint at the new HTC Boom Sound front facing speakers. Finally, there are the words "let them stare", which once again fails to reveal anything concrete about the device.  As for the tech specs, it is almost confirmed that the HTC flagship will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. The chipmaker recently released a Vine on twitter which showed off a device similar to the One M9 with the words '8:10'. Moreover, in the video, the clock style figures '10:08' changes to '10:09' hinting that the One M9 will succeed the M8. Other leaked tech specs include 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, 5-inch Full HD display, 20MP rear camera and 4MP ultrapixel front shooter and finally a 2900 mAh battery. The company has an event scheduled for 1st March 2015 at 10 AM EST. So, the event will start here in Malaysia at 11PM on Sunday (today). You can check out the live stream for yourself as well but we will be covering MWC 2015, so stay tuned for more updates. 

For the past few weeks, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors about the upcoming HTC flagship,HTC One M9. The company is yet to reveal anything officially, but it has kept an event on 1st March 2015 called "Utopia in progress" where it will reportedly unveil the successor to the HTC One M8 flagship model. Recently, an image was spotted on twitter, which could be the official photo of the two upcoming flagship devices. An earlier leak had hinted at a possible HTC One M9 Plus version, which this photo could confirm. The image comes courtesy of @evleaks. The image confirms a full glass front on both the models. Also, like the earlier images, this one too features an oval physical home button, which is something not usually seen on HTC's flagship models. The button will reportedly include a fingerprint sensor, a first for an HTC device. Both the models have super slim bezels and a large round front camera. Judging from the looks, it could be the same as the 13MP shooter on the HTC Desire Eye, but nothing is confirmed so far especially not Malaysia release dates or pricing. Expect more details in the next few weeks.