A lot of people are waiting for the M8, or One 2, or whatever HTC decides to call the flagship device that’s expected to see the light of day early this year. All eyes are on HTC, to see if they can hold onto the momentum they picked up in 2013 with the One, and use it to their benefit throughout 2014. There’s a lot riding on any device’s successor, because it’s meant to improve every aspect of the previous device. It’s meant to fix what was broken, and make better what was available the year before. A lot of people are expecting the M8 to boast a better processor, a better camera, a better display, and a better physical design.

All of these expectations are commonplace these days. We just expect the next device to get better. To be better than what we had the year previous. Which makes sense, because it doesn’t make any sense to upgrade, to spend more money a year later, if you’re just buying the same phone you already own. HTC, and every other phone manufacturer, has to make sure that the One’s successor is worth buying. Not just for the fans of HTC, but for the people who are using different devices.

There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of work to be done, but HTC isn’t new to the mobile industry, or how it works. They know what the consumers are expecting – especially if they were watching message boards and other social media tools to see how the One was being adopted or rejected. If HTC did their homework while developing the M8, then hopefully we should see a pretty powerful, well designed device land on store shelves at some point this year.

And then leaks happen.

Let’s just get this out of the way: preferences are going to be different for each person. We all know this. What you may think is a great looking device may not be so great looking to someone else, and vice versa. I don’t know if you’d agree, but I know a lot of people really liked the design cue of the original One. I know I did. I honestly believe the One was the best designed Android-based device released in 2013, and it probably still holds that top spot right now, too. The One was the hardware Android had been waiting for.

But now we’re about to see what the M8 looks like, and people are going to start talking about how it feels in the hand. We’re going to hear about how the new device compares to the previous handset. If HTC does increase the size of the display, does it adopt well, or should they have kept the previous dimensions? Overall, is the M8 going to be as great as the One?

We just don’t know yet, but with the leaks we’re starting to see over and over again, I’m beginning to temper my own high expectations.

The latest leak suggests we’re finally looking at a final version of the M8. A retail device, out there in the wild, long before HTC officially announces the handset. And don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly possible. However, it’s still just a rumor and a leak, and hopefully you’ve got that salt shaker in hand, ready for anything. But, if we’re supposed to accept these photos, one of which you can see above, as the real deal, then I’m going to have to say that I’m not really a fan of what I’m looking at. I should be, considering it’s so shiny, but it’s just not catching my eye like the original One did. Even the One’s leaked images back before it launched were more appealing to me.

I’ve got my fingers crossed that the shiny device in the image above is not indicative of what the One’s successor will look like. Even if it’s just the M8 mini, or something else, I’d be okay with that. At this point, if HTC just released the original One with on-screen keys, reduced the bezel a little bit at the same time, I’d be a happy camper.

What do you make of the image, though? Are you excited about what you’re seeing here, or are you hoping this isn’t what the M8 looks like? Is there anything you’re hoping HTC changes from the One, more than something else? Let me know what you think of the rumors swirling around HTC’s next flagship device.