A day after the Taiwanese tech giant was removed from the Taiwan’s Top 50 index comes a glimmer of hope. Industry sources have indicated that not one but two new flagships are likely to debut in Hakone, Japan at the September 29th event which was announced yesterday. The HTC One M9+ has been rumored to be next in line to receive a refresh. While the Butterfly line which has not received an update this year is now poised to have a new version announced which may go by the name of Butterfly 3.
The HTC One M9+ which launched in May of this year was a slight bump in terms of specs from the original HTC One M9, but many felt the company could have done more in terms of refreshing the line considering its financial situation. Boosting sales with these two new devices may help the tech giant stay afloat as it takes a shot at the emerging SIM-free market which HTC is counting on to continue its rapid expansion. HTC hopes to capitalize on this market which is expected to grow to 10 million units a year.
Not much is known in the way of specs of the updated HTC One M9+. Rumored features for the One M9+ include ditching the dual-lens of the design in favor of laser focus and optical shock-resistance. This may help the One series’ cameras compete with other flagship cameras such as the Samsung Galaxy S6’s and the LG G4’s which have consistently been above the HTC One lineup in photo quality. While sources also indicate that the new Butterfly 3 model will include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU, a 20-megapixel main shooter, 13-megapixel front facing camera and 3GB of RAM.
HTC hopes to tap into this new market with a revamped lineup that looks promising in terms of specs. With HTC’s stock now considered concerning for many investors, a huge hit for the company would make a big impact and help to reestablish trust once again. As new mid-range phones continue to improve and offer a more complete experience, a reasonably priced device with good specs across the board is a must if HTC wants to make sure they have a winner on their hands. As of now there is no word yet on pricing and availability.