The HTC One M9+ smartphone may not see a global release outside of Asia, but a slightly modified version may be on its way.

HTC first took the wraps off its new-generation One M9 flagship back at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 in early March, introducing a smartphone with powerful specifications but the same display as its predecessor. Last month, the company announced a new One M9+ variant, which sports higher-end specs compared to the flagship One M9, including a higher-resolution QHD display.

The slightly bigger and more powerful HTC One M9+ seems to be an exclusive for the Asian market, but a slightly modified plastic version of the handset may be destined for a global release.

An intriguing listing found on TENAA (China's equivalent of the FCC) shows a "HTC M9ew" variant that may see a release outside of Asia, albeit nothing is officially confirmed at this point.

According to this TENAA listing (translated), the new version of the smartphone will sport a 5.2-inch IPS display with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, pack an octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage capacity, and microSD card support for additional memory of up to 128GB. The handset will also feature a 20-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone flash, an UltraPixel front shooter, and a fingerprint scanner.

In other words, this intriguing plastic variant of the handset shares virtually all specifications of the HTC One M9+, except for the Duo Camera setup. It also remains unclear at this point whether this version will also come with an IR blaster or not.

If these specs turn out to be accurate, this version of the HTC One M9+ will launch as a real powerhouse even if it comes with a polycarbonate body rather than the premium aluminum unibody design the company received such high praise for.

No information is currently available regarding when this HTC M9ew version will make its debut or what markets it will reach, but the plastic body should mean that it will launch with a more affordable price tag. The TENAA listing suggests that an official unveiling may be just around the corner, and we'll keep you up to date as soon as HTC makes it official.