HTC One M9 Plus Surfaces to Confuse Consumers

Just when the new HTC One M9 is getting ready to go on sale a new variant surfaces out of Asia dubbed the HTC One M9 Plus.

The new HTC One M9 was one of the big highlights at the MWC 2015. The new HTC flagship smartphone will go on sale in the United States on April 10. HTC stayed true to the clean design known from the previous HTC One. The new HTC One M9 features a 5-inch 1080p display with a body measuring 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.61mm.

Yesterday reports appeared of a HTC One M9 Plus that is slightly bigger and featuring a 5.2-inch display. Other differences include a physical home button and a round camera lens cover on the back.

Earlier this month photos of the HTC M9 Plus have already leaked. Yesterday the M9 Plus story got rekindled with a dummy video Steve Hemmerstoffer from French site NowWhereElse published. The video is based on a prototype of the M9+ he saw. Today NowWhereElse published three photos of a HTC One M9 Plus device that surfaced on Weibo. One of the photos reveals a China Mobile sticker.

So what is going on here? It does not make sense for HTC to confuse consumers with another HTC One that is not that different from the one that goes on sale this month. The likely explanation is that the HTC One Plus is a variant for the Chinese market. Why China requires a special version is unclear.

Another explanation could be that this is just a prototype and is not going on sale anywhere soon.