UPDATE: A source speaking to HTC Source says that the HTC One (M9) does indeed look like the One (M8) and that it's got a squircle rear camera like the one shown in today's leak.

The tipster also named a few small ways in which the One (M9) differs from the One (M8), including a slightly thicker body, the lack of a Duo Camera rear depth sensing shooter, two distinct volume rocker buttons rather than a single button, and the new lock button placement on the right of the device rather than the top. Considering the One (M8)'s height, a right-mounted lock button sound like a good change to me.

ORIGINAL: The past week or so has been pretty exciting for HTC fans. First HTC announced its “utopia in progress” event for March 1, then a new rumor shed some light on what we might see there, including HTC’s next Android flagship. Now some photos of what could be that device have surfaced.

New images claim to show the HTC One (M9), the new flagship that could be shown on March 1. The images, which were sent to NowhereElse.fr [Google Translate] by a “reliable” source, shown a device that looks a lot like the HTC One (M8). The phone’s got BoomSound front-facing speakers, an HTC logo beneath its display, plastic inserts on its backside, and a headphone jack and microUSB port on its bottom.

The one difference between this One (M9) and the One (M8) that’s immediately noticeable is the rear camera. On the M9, the housing for the rear shooter is square, a switch from the round housing that was present on the M8. We can also see a dual LED flash on the rear of the M9.

With HTC’s big event a little over a month away, we’d expect the hardware of the One (M9) to be pretty much done at this point. It’s also worth noting that rumors have suggested that the One (M9)’s design will be largely similar to the One (M8), which may not be a bad move on HTC’s part since the One (M8) received quite a bit of praise for its design. Whether or not the device in these photos is indeed a One (M9) prototype is still a mystery, but hey, at least we don’t have too long to wait before the mystery is solved.