Evleaks reveals render showing off One M9 in two sizes, with improved aesthetics
Andrew Grush / Android Authority :
Context & Ripple Effects
In the run-up to MWC 2015, Evleaks' render promised a One M9 in two sizes, staking out a bolder lineup than HTC ultimately delivered. The March 1st announcement shipped a single 5-inch 1080p phone with a Snapdragon 810 and 20MP camera — one size, not two.
The second size did arrive, just not globally and not at launch: April's M9+ for China brought the 5.2-inch Quad HD screen, fingerprint sensor, and MediaTek silicon the render's larger variant implied. The story matters because it captures how leak-season renders set size expectations that OEMs then satisfy through staggered regional SKUs rather than day-one lineups.
First-order effects
- Buyers expecting a choice of sizes on day one got one 5-inch option at the mid-March launch, leaving anyone wanting a bigger One to wait or look elsewhere.
- The render raised aesthetic expectations ahead of launch, which the hands-on coverage tested against reality — praise for design alongside criticism that it looked too much like its predecessor.
Second-order effects
- HTC answered the unmet demand for a larger One with a separate premium SKU — the China-only M9+ — splitting its flagship across regions instead of offering both sizes worldwide at once.
- A regional split means component sourcing diverges too: Qualcomm supplies the global M9 while the M9+ runs MediaTek, giving HTC two supply chains for one nameplate.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, flagship lines converge on multi-size families revealed over months rather than a single hero device — the structure visible today in leaks like the four-model Pixel 9 family surfacing via regulator filings.
- Leakers such as Evleaks effectively pre-announce product roadmaps, forcing OEMs to either match rendered expectations at launch or absorb the gap between rumor and shipping lineup.
The trend: Smartphone flagships are shifting from single-hero launches toward staggered multi-size lineups, with leaker renders shaping consumer size expectations months ahead of official reveals.