Back in March when I reviewed the HTC One M9 I awarded it a 9.5/10 rating, but after further testing the camera I felt like it should have earned an 8.5.

After spending the weekend with the a major software update, I am happy to report the HTC One M9 now deserves that 9.5 rating.

People have been able to take some great photos with the HTC One M9 camera, but not as many as hoped when in auto mode. If you switch to manual mode and work with the settings you can shoot some awesome photos, but the general public primarily sticks with auto mode and that is what the phone should be judged on.

This latest software update looks to have significantly improved auto mode camera settings and my SIM is back in the One M9. As good as the LG G4 is, I personally prefer the hardware and HTC Sense experience on the One M9. I am also finding some occasional pausing/lag on the G4, but have never seen this on the M9.

You can check out some sample photos in my gallery below. If you want to see the full resolution photos, then visit my Flickr album so you can truly compare these photos yourself. I took comparison photos with the HTC One M9, Apple iPhone 6 Plus, and LG G4.

As stated by HTC, this new software update offers the following:

Camera

Greater auto-exposure balance algorithm to improve overall dynamic range, so images appear more detailed and balanced, especially in bright light conditions

Additional improvements for pictures taken in low light, so images are clearer, detail is more apparent, and colors appear truer to life

Battery Life & Charging

Overall improvements to battery life, which reduce power consumption by YouTube, Facebook, and other popular social apps like Skype and Google Hangouts, so you can watch more videos or have video chats with your loved ones for longer periods of time

Improved smart charging, so your phone stays cooler while it's being charged

This update started rolling out to Asian and European countries with release for North America schedule within the month.

Further ZDNet HTC One M9 coverage