This is what the front of the HTC One (M9) will look like

HTC’s One (M9) is one of the year’s most anticipated smartphones and rumors have been flying left and right, often conflicting one another. Some of the most seemingly accurate rumors are coming from HTC Source, which said on Saturday that HTC is using decoy bodies for prototype One (M9) units. This lined up with previous images that had appeared of the One (M9) that looked nearly identical to the One (M8), prompting many to believe that the design wouldn’t be changing this year. Now, HTC Source has some more details on what the front of the phone might look like.

The black bar and HTC logo that originally rested beneath the display on the One (M8) have been removed/rearranged. The BoomSound speaker panels that were found on the One (M7) and (M8) have been concealed under an edge-to-edge glass panel. Each top and bottom bezel is also slightly taller, as they have absorbed some of the space previously taken up by the black bar beneath the display. The HTC logo has moved down to the bottom bezel, rather than having a separate bar for it.

The BoomSound speakers haven’t disappeared, but take up less room on the front of the device. The speaker chambers are mostly covered by glass now, with slits on the top and bottom edges of the phone to project the sound out. The look is reportedly similar to that of the Nexus 9, which ditched the large speaker grills for smaller slits instead. The speaker slits on the One (M9) reportedly span 50 percent of the top and bottom edges of the device.

The design seems like an effort to make the front of the phone sleeker by converting it into essentially a large slab of edge-to-edge glass. We don’t mind the change, though it could take away from the unique front design that’s traditionally been found on the One series of devices. The large speaker grills have practically become a part of the branding for the device. Nonetheless, a minimalist design could be just as tasteful and elegant.

source: androidandme