The HTC One M9 was released earlier this year at MWC 2015 and realistically speaking, the reviews on it are identical to that of the outgoing HTC One M8. Everything was good on the device except the camera which lost to both flagships from Samsung and LG. HTC didn't stop there however, last month the company announced the HTC One M9+ and HTC One E9+ which is now available for purchase in Malaysia.

Well, you might think that's the end right? Think again, HTC and KDDI has just announced the HTC J Butterfly in Japan. Don't be mistaken with the HTC J Butterfly from 2012 which is also from KDDI. This is a brand new device which improves on the feature set from both the HTC One M9 and HTC One E9+.

Unlike the mainstream HTC One design, the 2015 HTC J Butterfly takes on the design of previous HTC Butterfly devices with a hint of recent HTC Desire smartphones. First off, the front of the device looks very much like the HTC Desire EYE, the Boom Sound speakers are cleverly hidden in between the seems of the top and bottom bezels. The front facing camera is centered and just like on the HTC Desire EYE, the selfie camera is at 13MP. Seemingly there is also no HTC branding on the front of the display too.

In terms of hardware, the HTC J Butterfly has specs identical to that of the HTC One M9. The octa core Snapdragon 810 processor is still there and so is the combination of 3GB of RAM alongside 32GB of exapandable memory. What has evidently changed however is the inclusion of a 5.2" Quad HD display bringing up the pixel density to a dense 565 ppi.

Turning to the back will reveal the Duo Camera setup similar to that of the HTC One M9+, the 20MP sensor on the HTC One M9 is combined with HTC's depth sensing module. The placement of the depth sensing camera isn't that optimal as that spot will most likely where the index finger will rest when holding the device. As you can see, the HTC J Butterfly comes in 3 bright color options which are glossy.

In addition to the strikingly similar design the HTC J Butterfly bears, the device like it's predecessors does indeed feature a water resistant design. Don't expect to dip this device into 1m of water as it is merely rated for splashes of water likely caused by accidents.

All in all, this is a Japan exclusive device and given the history of the HTC Butterfly series, expect to see an international variant of this device being called the HTC Butterfly 3. That'll be unveiled in the coming weeks or months ahead.


SOURCE: PHONEARENA via KDDI