Following a slew of rumors and leaks, HTC and Microsoft have officially unveiled the new HTC One M8 variant running Windows Phone 8.1.

The HTC One M8 is already widely popular and is considered one of the most powerful smartphones out there, and this new version retains the specs, features, and design that were so highly-appreciated on the original model. On the software side, however, the new variant replaces Android with Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.1.

"Consumers love the HTC One (M8) and today's introduction extends that enthusiasm to new audiences hungry for choice in their mobile experience," HTC President Jason Mackenzie touted in a company blog post on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

"The HTC One (M8) for Windows is true to the flagship product's award-winning design and unique experience while also taking the best of what Windows Phone has to offer," added Darren Laybourn, corporate Vice President of Engineering at Microsoft. "We succeeded in offering customers the best of both our worlds with this phone."

The new HTC One M8 variant with Windows Phone on board comes with identical hardware specs and features as the original model. This means that it comes with the same 5-inch Full HD 1080p display, the same Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood, and the same 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage capacity as the original version running Android.

The Duo Camera with UltraPixel technology and depth-sensing sensor is also on board, as well as the 5-megapixel front shooter, the BoomSound front speakers, and all of the other goodies found on the original HTC One M8. The only major difference aside from the OS is that the HTC One M8 with Windows Phone OS will only come in a Gunmetal Gray color option.

In terms of software, the new HTC One M8 variant runs the latest version of Windows Phone 8.1 with all of its treats, including the much-touted Cortana digital assistant.

The new HTC One M8 for Windows is already available for purchase from Verizon Wireless, sporting a $99.99 price tag on a two-year contract, or $29.99 per month with Verizon Edge. It's worth pointing out that the smartphone is exclusive to Verizon just for now, but the HTC One M8 for Windows is also coming soon to AT&T. No exact release date is available for the AT&T version of the handset, but the carrier is now allowing customers to pre-register their interest in the device and receive more info as it gets closer to launch.