There is no word yet whether the forthcoming HTC One M9 will enter the phablet category, but it seems that Samsung Galaxy Note 4 may have a new rival as the latest set of rumors are hinting that HTC's upcoming handset will have specs and features similar to Samsung's phablet. 

The next HTC flagship phone is heading for release early next year, according to Chinese web site My Drivers. The report added that the smartphone will pack a 5.5-inch screen display with quad HD (2560 x 1440) pixel resolution. This is slightly smaller than Samsung Galaxy Note 4's screen panel, but the resolution is the same. 

Other purported features of the device are Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and 3 GB RAM, which is the same with Samsung's phablet. However, some reports claim that the One M9 will be one of the first devices to be powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 810. The handset will run with the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS packed with new software features. 

As for the back camera of the HTC One M9, the handset is predicted to retain the 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera. Other reports say that the smartphone will pack a 16-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization to be on par with other handsets, since the UltraPixel camera feature was not able to make a good impression on users. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 packs a 16-megapixel back camera. 

Some of the prominent features of HTC smartphones are BoomSound stereo speakers and metal casing. HTC One M9 will most probably retain these features. Moreover, the upcoming handset will pack longer battery juice that will support the power-hogging features. 

There are predictions that the HTC One M9 will be a tough competitor for the iPhone 6 Plus, which further suggests that the former will be a contender in the phablet category. Moreover, there's word going around that HTC's upcoming device will be launched in March 2015 at the Mobile World Congress tech event. However, HTC has not given any official announcements about the HTC One M9 yet.