HTC One M9: Five things you should know

The new HTC One M9 may have been one of the worst kept secrets of 2015, but it's finally been made official.

Unveiled at the international mobile phone show MWC 2015, the HTC One M9 smartphone is the follow-up to the maker's popular HTC One M8 and has been designed to include some of the most popular features from the previous model and its predecessor (the HTC One M7).

Here are five things you need to know about the new HTC One M9:

It's got a whopping 20MP camera
The HTC One M9 is a great choice for those that love to take selfies as the rear camera from the last model has been moved to the front of the phone. HTC's 'ultrapixel' camera is designed to let more light in, making it ideal for taking selfies in low-light conditions.

Meanwhile, the rear of the phone now sports a brand new camera with an impressive 20MP sensor. The rear camera will also record in ultra high-definition 4K.

It's got a slick new two-tone design
The new model sports the same metal design as its predecessors with the angular look of the M7, combined with the curved back of the M8, which is designed to make it sit comfortably in the hand.

HTC told us that it has taken some inspiration from jewellery design, particularly when it comes to the sides of the phone, which are a slightly different colour to make them stand out.

The handset sports the same hairline texture as the previous model, along with scratch-resistant coating - good news if your phone tends to get scratched when it's in your bag or pocket.

The M9 will be available in three colour choices - gold on silver, gunmetal grey on grey, and gold on gold and is marginally smaller and lighter than the previous model.

The speakers pack Dolby audio tech
HTC first added support from legendary audio brand Dolby on its Desire 826 handset, so it's no surprise that it also appears on the One M9's BoomSound speakers.

These front-facing speakers offer pseudo 5.1 surround sound, and have proved particularly impressive on previous models.

You can personalise the home screen to match your wallpaper image
Running on the most recent incarnation of Android (5.0 Lollipop), the phone features the latest version of the maker's user interface software - HTC Sense 7.

Among other things, this enables you to personalise your home screen appearance or 'theme'. You can either choose from one of the existing themes, or upload your own photo and the feature will suggest background colours, app icons and fonts to match.

It packs the latest processor from Qualcomm
The HTC One M9 sports the new Qualcomm 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset, which includes an Adreno 430 graphics chip - said to offer a 30% boost in graphics performance, while using 20% less power.

The powerful new chipset has been designed to improve all-round performance, and is also aimed at bringing 4K video to the masses.

HTC One M9 specs:

Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with HTC Sense
5-inch full HD display
Qualcomm¨ Snapdragon 810 octa-core CPU
20MP rear camera, 4K video recording
ÔultrapixelÕ front camera, 1080p video recording
Sense 7.0 software
3GB RAM
32GB storage (expandable by SD card)
DLNA, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
144.6 x 69.7 x 9.61mm
157g

HTC One M9 release date: From 31 March 2015, prices TBC.