The new HTC One appears to be getting a bigger, badder cousin

Rumors of a higher-end edition of the HTC One M8, the M8 Prime, have been difficult to pin down; we've seen little in the way of tangible evidence. However, things just got interesting. Frequent tipster @evleaks has posted what's reportedly a 360-degree render of the Prime, showing off a design with a few big differences from the current model. The most obvious may be the camera -- it's conspicuously bigger than that of the regular One, and it even juts out from the back. The phone also has a flatter, One Max-like body with a different surface than the current handset. According to @evleaks, the cosmetic change may stem from the use of an unusual aluminum and liquid silicone hybrid that would be both strong and heat-absorbing.

While the imagery doesn't reveal much about what's inside the device, rumored specs have hinted that it wouldn't strictly be a One Max sequel. It would be the most powerful HTC phone yet with a quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 2,560 x 1,440 screen resolution, but its 5.5-inch display wouldn't be quite so gargantuan as the 6-inch panel of the Max. That's assuming the render and the hardware details are authentic in the first place, mind you. Although @evleaks has developed a reputation for mostly accurate scoops, we haven't seen live shots or other details that would confirm what we've seen to date. If the Prime exists at all, it may not match up perfectly with what you see here.