HTC today unveiled two flagship smartphones in Japan. The One M9+ Supreme Camera Edition and the Butterfly 3 are both aimed at competing with Apple's latest iPhones and the latest Android phones. Compared with the previous version, the upgraded One M9+ sports a better camera module built with a laser-focus feature and optical image stabilization (OIS), which can compensate for vibrations.

Instead of the 2.1MP secondary camera, HTC has added an IR laser rangefinder for short distances, which should speed up auto-focus in low light and macro shots. The sensor is now a Sony IMX230 with phase detect auto focus. However, the optical characteristics are unchanged from the One M9 and M9+ with an f/2.2 aperture likely to keep edge distortions under control. OIS is also added to improve low light performance for still photos and improve video stability.

The One M9+ Supreme Camera edition will go on sale in Taiwan on October 6th for $630 USD in gunmetal grey and two-tone silver/gold.

The third generation of the Butterfly is featuring a 5.2-inch 2K screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage capacity, a 20-megapixel rear camera, a 13-megapixel front-facing camera and a 2700mAh battery.

But as well as flagship processing power, the phone packs some serious photography credentials. The rear-facing unit offers 20 megapixels of image quality while the front-facing camera is of the 13-megapixel variety.

Though pricing is yet to be confirmed, expect the handset to carry a premium price of roughly $600 off contract.

The Butterfly 3 was initially just for Japanese consumers is about to go on sale around the world.

The launch of the One M9+ with improved camera features and the Butterfly 3 marks the first time HTC has unveiled two flagship handsets in the second half of a single year.

HTC hopes that the two new HTC flagship phones will boost the company's sales in the fourth quarter and help it to regain its market share in the high-end segment.

HTC One M9+

• Size: 150.99 x 71.99 x 9.61 mm
• CPU Speed: 64-bit Octa core (8 x 2.2 GHz)
• Memory:
  • Total storage: 32GB
  • RAM: 3GB
  • Expansion card slot supports microSDXC memory card for up to 2TB additional storage (card not included)
    
• Connectivity:
  • 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
  • HDMI MHL 2.0
  • CIR
  • NFC
  • DLNA
  • micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin)
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • Battery
  • Capacity: 2840 mAh
• Weight: 168g (with battery)
• Platform Android: Android with HTC Sense
• GPS: Internal GPS antenna + GLONASS + Beidou
• Sound: HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio
• Display: 5.2" WQHD (1440 x 2560)
  
• Network:
  • FDD-LTE: B1 (2100MHz)/ B3 (1800MHz)/ B5(850MHz) /B7 (2600MHz)/ B8 (900MHz)/ B28 (700MHz)
  • TD-LTE: B38 (2600MHz)/ B39 (1900MHz)/ B40 (2300MHz)/ B41 (2600MHz)
  • TD-SCDMA: 1900/ 2000 MHz
  • HSPA/ WCDMA: 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100 MHz
  • GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE: 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900 MHz
• Internet:
  • LTE: Up to 150 Mbps download speed, Up to 50 Mbps upload speed
  • HSPA: Up to 42 Mbps download speed, Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz)
• Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Compass sensor
  • Magnetic sensor
  • Gyro sensor
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • Sensor Hub
    
• Camera:
  • Main camera: 20MP Duo Camera with sapphire cover lens, auto-focus, BSI sensor, f/2.2, 27.8mm lens, 4K video recording
  • Front camera: HTC UltraPixel, BSI sensor, f/2.0, 26.8mm lens, 1080p video recording