HTC announces HTC One M8

The Taiwanese smartphone-maker unveils its latest flagship phone.

Physically, it's not difficult to spot the family resemblance to its predecessor. The One M8 has a 5-inch display, making it marginally bigger than the 4.7-inches of its predecessor. Both displays have full HD resolutions. Andrew Hoyle/CNET

HTC unveiled the HTC One M8 at a press conference Tuesday, showing off a slightly larger screen for its signature aluminum body.

Prior to this announcement, there were plenty of leaks and rumors, including a report that said Verizon secured an exclusive deal to start selling the HTC One M8 in the US on Wednesday, just a day after Tuesday's event. Global sales were expected to commence two weeks after, according to the report.

Watch CNET's live coverage of HTC's March 25 event.

HTC's original HTC One drew rave reviews, including one from CNET Editor Brian Bennett, who called it "a beautifully crafted, near-ideal smartphone." Known for its sleek aluminum casing and high-performing camera, the HTC was screen as a possible competitor to Samsung's flagship smartphones.

But, the company's profits and sales continued to fall, and its devices has yet to achieve the popularity held by Samsung's popular Galaxy line of devices.

This is a developing story. Read more at CNET's Live Blog of HTC's event.