The HTC One M9 is not the newest smartphone on the block, but neither is it one of the aged dinosaurs of an era past. Rather, this used to be a flagship smartphone from the folks over at HTC, and it has also seen far better days, but it is not yet aged enough to be relegated to the scrapheap. At least, not before being endowed with the latest Android 7.0 Nougat update. Word has gone around that T-Mobile has begun to test out the Android 7.0 Nougat update on the HTC One M9, prior to a major roll out of the newest operating system update for the handset.

How do we know this? T-Mobile’s official support page gave the game away, stating that the mobile carrier is testing out the Android 7.0 Nougat update with the HTC One M9. The thing is, there is no concrete release date stated as at press time, and testing out the software is often a surefire sign that the Android 7.0 Nougat update is one step closer to a full release. This is the equivalent of a ‘soak test’, as it is known, in other circles. We await with bated breath for the final release date to be mentioned, but theoretically speaking, it ought to be sooner as opposed to later for the Android 7.0 Nougat update to hit the HTC One M9 that is subscribed to T-Mobile.

T-Mobile is late to the game
When did HTC start to introduce the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the unlocked HTC One M9? As early as last December, and in the world of consumer technology, that can be considered to be an eternity. It has since been at least three months that the unlocked HTC One M9 devices have had the luxury of enjoying the Android 7.0 Nougat update, while T-Mobile subscribing owners of the device continue to “suffer” with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Ever since December 2016, the Android 7.0 Nougat update’s availability has seen an expansion to cater for different variants across a range of carriers, including Canada’s Bell.

Better late than never, we guess. At least when the Android 7.0 Nougat update on the HTC One M9 in the US, it will bring with it a slew of new features that will provide the 2015 flagship smartphone from HTC a new lease of life. There are still some miles left in the legs of the HTC One M9, and technically speaking, this particular smartphone should see an improved battery life courtesy of the revamped Doze Mode, a jump in performance, better notifications, improved quick toggles in the notification shade, as well as a marked improvement in data management thanks to a spanking new Data Saver mode.

What about Android 8.0 Oreo?
This March 2015 smartphone is set to be able to last for quite a while more before you decide to make a jump to a newer version. After all, Android 8.0 Oreo (as it is rumored to be called) is still some ways off from making its debut. Do expect the Android update buck to stop with Android Nougat for the HTC One M9 though, since it will most probably be overlooked by HTC when Oreo is made official.