HTC details global One M9 update: Camera and battery life improvements

HTC is globally rolling out a new software update for its One M9 Android flagship. The device launched in late-March, with a still weak yet higher megapixel main camera compared to its predecessor and faster internals, but a mostly unchanged exterior design. It is one of the few handsets on the market powered by Qualcomm's top-of-the-line Snapdragon 810 processor, which is known for running a bit too hot.

The software update addresses camera quality, battery life and charging temperature, with improvements touted in all aforementioned areas. It has already rolled out in select Asian markets, and is now hitting Europe.

In the camera department, HTC says that it has tweaked the software with a better algorithm for auto-exposure balance, so that it can deliver higher dynamic range. Images are touted to have more detail and balance, something which HTC says should be most visible when snapping photos in well-lit areas.

Speaking of the camera, HTC has been criticized for slapping a 20 MP sensor on the back of One M9 without offering much of an improvement over last year's One (M8), which only has a 4 MP sensor at the rear. The problems were down to the software, and hopefully HTC has managed to sort things out by now.

There are also improvement for low-light conditions, with photos expected to come out clearer with more details and more accurate colors. Even though One M9's predecessors prioritized low-light camera performance, it apparently needs quite a bit of tweaking before it can turn out decent results.

HTC says that it has also managed to optimize the software so that apps like YouTube, Facebook, Skype and Google Hangouts consume less energy. This should lead to longer battery life, HTC claims. Some reports have suggested that, when running previous software versions, One M9 actually fares worse than its predecessor in terms of battery life. This update should hopefully change things for the better.

And, last but not least, the software update also affects smart charging, so that One M9 can stay cooler while it is charging. The feature, formally known as Quick Charge, is built-into the Snapdragon 810 processor, being designed to accelerate charging times.