It seems that RIM and HTC are having a leak-off - which sounds ruder than it is. With both expected to launch new handsets soon - RIM at its BlackBerry 10 unveiling on 30 January, HTC at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February - they are subject to more scrutiny than most, leading to much speculation.

The latest falls in the Taiwanese camp, with what is claimed to be a press render of the forthcoming new flagship model from HTC, the HTC M7. Unwiredview has got its hands on the picture which, it is said, has been taken from what is believed to be a short animation clip made by the manufacturer to instruct new owners on SIM card installation.

Read: More details on the HTC M7 emerge, 4.7-inch, 1080p and 4G

If true, we're confident in saying that the HTC M7 will be a mightily handsome handset. There are also rumours that it will feature an IR sender, so can double as a universal remote control for your home entertainment kit. That's usually found on tablets, not so much on smartphones.

The display is claimed to be 4.7-inches and Full HD. Rumours also suggest that the phone will be powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core processor. Some reports also hint at a rapid release after the MWC unveiling, at around $600 (£375) SIM-free.

We've only a short while to wait to find out for sure. Pocket-lint will be at Mobile World Congress to bring you more.