It’s no secret that HTC is going through some tough times right now, so there’s plenty of pressure for its next phone to be spot on.
Fortunately, the successor to the ill-fated HTC One M9 looks like it could redeem the company’s smartphone fortunes.
For starters, it appears as though HTC may finally be ready to drop the clunky “One M-” branding.
That’s according to MyDrivers, which suggests that the firm’s next handset will actually be called the “HTC O2”.
What’s more, it’s tipped to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chip.
That’s the company’s recently announced top-end processor, which Qualcomm hopes will breathe life back into its chip business following the overheating debacle caused by the Snapdragon 810.
The Snapdragon 820 is a quad-core chip built using Samsung’s super-efficient 14nm FinFET manufacturing process.
It’s expected to make use of Qualcomm’s custom-built ARM-based Hydra cores too, which have yet to appear on any other chip from the firm.
The HTC O2 is also tipped to feature 4GB of RAM, which puts the device firmly in flagship territory.
A separate report by Mobile Dad suggests the phone will be waterproof, and will make use of a hefty 6in display with a 1,440 x 2,560 pixel resolution.
The HTC O2 is expected to be unveiled in late 2015, or early 2016, in line with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 launch window.
Related: HTC One M10 release date
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a big new product from HTC being in the pipeline for 2015.
Back in June, CEO of the Taiwanese manufacturer Cher Wang said the company had a “hero” handset in the works for October this year.
Wang failed to detail the teased handset at the time, so we’ve had to rely on rumours and speculation ever since.
Do you think the HTC O2 could be the company’s saving grace? Let us know in the comments.
Check out our smartphone group test video below:
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.