HTC is joining Samsung in offering a version of its flagship smartphone with stock Android software. Starting June 26th you’ll be able to pick up an HTC One with Nexus user experience.
Like the Google Edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the new phone will have the same software as a Google Nexus phone and will receive software updates directly from Google. Users will also be able to unlock the bootloader to install custom firmware.
There are a few catches. First, the phone won’t be subsidized by wireless carriers, which means you’ll have to pay full price for the HTC One with Nexus user experience. It’ll be available from the Google Play Store for $599.
Second, while plenty of folks prefer the stock Android experience to HTC Sense software, there are a few things you might miss — including HTC’s camera software. You can generally take much better photos using the Sense software than the stock camera.
HTC”s new Nexus experience phone features 32GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, and a 4.7 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display. It will ship with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean software.
It may cost nearly twice as much as a Google Nexus 4, but it has a faster processor, higher resolution display, better speakers, and the same software experience.
I really like HTC products. I still use one of their older Android phones. I am in the market for a new phone and would love to have a Google Edition of the HTC One but for me a user replaceable battery is a MUST. A microSD card slot is nearly a must. Right now the Galaxy S4 Google Edition is the front runner. I would like to wait and see about the Motorola X phone but October is a long time to wait.
Too bad it already had the other Nexus “features” with no SD card slot, no optional extended battery, no USB mass storage mode, no USB charge only mode, etc.
Does the HTC custom version have quick boot/sleep mode?
No a/v output at all? No HDMI, MHL, Slimport, etc? 🙁 Does it at least do Miracast?
Update, from https://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one/#specs
Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX™ enabled
Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n
DLNA® for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to a compatible TV or computer
HTC Connect
Miracast wireless display standard
Support consumer infrared remote control
micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection (Special cable required for HDMI connection.)
While this does have a few downsides as noted above, it is probably a good thing in terms of reducing one of the forms of “fragmentation” Android detractors use to scare off users and developers.