By 
There’s a wonderful rumor floating around this evening — one that will either have you leaping for joy, or reaching for the bottle. It all started last week after an HTC rep seemingly hinted at the possibility of a stock Android AOSP version of the the HTC One, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition announced at Google I/O. The cryptic tweet said, “So you can pay $649 for a piece of plastic running stock or… You can wait :) #IO13″ This, as it turns out, was tweeted from her personal Twitter account and although she never revealed the meaning behind it, some blogs ran with the story. This caused HTC rep Jeff Gordon (not that Jeff Gordon) to chime in, flat out denying these rumors altogether.
Fast forward to today where infamous ROM leaker @LlabTooFeR is, once again, adding fuel to these stock One rumors, tweeting some very confident words that an HTC One is coming fast down the pipeline and “without Sense 5.” According to Llabtoofer, he expects the device to be released as early as this summer and if you’re curious on exactly how sure he feels on the subject, he went as far as saying it was a “fact.”
Once again, those of you that have been holding off on purchasing a next-gen Android but have been eying HTC’s awesome hardware, may find yourself doing a backflip. While those of you that just forked out all that money on an HTC One Developer Edition (myself included), might find yourselves a little annoyed for early adopting.
I just want to point out that with the already available HTC One Developer Edition with a bootloader that’s spread eagle and ready to run everything from CM10.1 to Paranoid Android, just how necessary is an HTC One Google Edition? I don’t suppose it would take too much extra effort on HTC’s part to simply offer a One from the Play Store (or at the very least, some kind of variant) with AOSP out-of-the-box and direct updates from Google. If you remember, this actually alludes to old rumors of “multiple Nexus devices” from various manufacturers offering their devices on Google Play running stock Android. If Samsung can do it, just what exactly is stopping HTC (and everyone else)?
It’s entirely possible this stock device could be something different altogether, with HTC saving the best bits and pieces of hardware for their One flagship, but I’m going to stop right there. I’m done guessing at this point. With summer fast approaching, it wont be too much longer before we figure out what HTC’s been up to, and if it’s a stock Android device with direct updates from Google — more power to ’em.
Didnt they specifically say they were NOT going to do this?
Yup. But they were very specific in their wording, “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One.”
Maybe they’re not planning a Nexus Edition of the One. Maybe it’s going to be a different device altogether?
I would love HTC to make the next Nexus device. Like my 1st Android phone was the HTC Nexus 1.
aaaah, I didnt catch the wording.
Samsung didn’t do a “Nexus Edition” of the S4 either, though. Not once did Google call it a Nexus device. They said the same stock experience, but never Nexus experience. Might be playing with words a bit, but besides that, when have companies NOT lied about devices they are planning that weren’t announced yet?
They did use the wording “nexus user experience” right in the slideshow
This is exciting news. I wonder if it will keep that pesky button configuration…
Yes. I gotta say, though, you get used to the button placement. I did occasionally go for the HTC logo when trying to go home, but after about a week, you get used to how it works.
I’ve gotten adjusted to the buttons with the exception of the power button, my brain can’t seem to get used to this; and the top and bottom of the phone…lol
Damn, Only if it had onscreen buttons.
I prefer capacitive as they don’t take away from screen real estate, but I’m not saying HTC’s button placement is ideal either. Ha.
but on-screen just work better. We get a choice of our button layout (assuming rooted). Usually the manufacturer capacitive button layout is terrible
That’s one advantage, for sure. And I’ll be all for it once manufacturers design a bezel-less phone with top-to-bottom LCD. Until then, I need as much screen as I can get :P
Chris you are insatiable :-P. You got Google Glass and a huge phone…
That’s why ParanoidAndroid is amazing.
Pie UI ftw. :)
Just slap LMT or PIE as your nav buttons and you have the entire screen all to yourself… -_-
Most manufacturers that employ “soft-keys” will make the screen slightly larger on purpose to compensate for the presence of the nav-bar. The original Galaxy Nexus was even designed with the bottom bezel slightly thinner than the top, so that when the navigation and notification bars were present, the usable screen space was situated in the center of the device.
Actually… That does makes no sense. There is a developer edition that can put AOSP on the phone. Huh?
Yeah, it comes fully bootloader unlocked and ready to flash any custom ROM you want to throw on it.
Samsung also has a Dev Edition of their S4, so why would they want a Google Edition of their S4?
Where does one get hold of the dev edition of the S4? Thx
I bet they did this because they are so slow in updating to new versions of Android. This way, Samsung users have an option of being just like the Nexus users.
My S2 and S3 always got fast updates, at least in my opinion. Maybe it was because I was downloading leaks all the time.
First off HAHAHA nice pun there. Second probably more so because the Dev editions of either devices don’t run stock Android and although it can be installed this is more directed at end users rather than developers as well any installs of roms as you know invalidates warranty. I think Google is trying to get more people using stock Android altogether or at least experience it and maybe fix this slow adoption issue for updates.
This makes too much sense.
Whats there to lose for anyone?
Well if Google continues this, the question is what about the Nexus line
They can always keep it since their Nexus phone line would be at a lower price point.
True. Or they can now have Motorola only Nexus devices and have other manufacturer’s “Stock” devices, so this shows Google is not monopolizing Android and everyone will be happy
I like the idea of stock flagships from the big players with Moto offering solely Nexus devices. I do think that Moto should keep including useful software additions like SmartActions, though.
I hope Google does this. Motorola has always had great hardware, its their software which brought them down
If those end up taking over for the Nexus line it’s gonna be too expensive for me to consider off contract though. So, I don’t know how I feel about it yet. Maybe if the other phones come down in price… =D
this does put samsung in a funny position however ~ people in general, even if they don’t use it, like multiview (i ran a rom i hated to use it for about a week)
this is the nexus line :) kinda like the certification program rumored not so long ago
The carriers lose a lot… like control of their customers.
Customers are the winners as long as they are on T-Mobile or AT&T (I wouldn’t recommend AT&T to anyone).
Customers are losers on AT&T. Why pay full price on the phone if you don’t get a break on your monthly bill?
Because T-mobile’s network coverage is very spotty
What does T-Mobile’s spotty network have to do with it? If you’re going to be on AT&T why not just get the carrier subsidized version for $199(probably less by the time the Google edition One comes out), unlock the bootloader and put whatever ROM you want on it?
I think you need special software to do the unlocking and switching of the bootloader. It usually not available to the general public unless you are pretty wealthy so you can buy a license from the software maker. But if you have $5K; why not just spend it on multiple smartphones and not worry about this issue. Just switch your sim card; not the bootloader.
@Harry_Wild What are you talking about? I have an AT&T HTC One. I have unlocked the bootloader. It cost $0 to do so.
A small percentage of consumers care about unlocked bootloaders. Since we would still need a carrier to use the device, and would have to pay full price, the carriers are not losing anything as they are not subsidising the device.
Switched to AT&T from Sprint and the service is considerably better, at least in Madison, Wi and Las Vegas, NV!
“The carriers lose a lot… like control of their customers.”
Isn’t that ultimately what Google wanted years ago when they started the Nexus program? They just didn’t have enough mobile clout to pull it off yet…
I don’t think it makes, Sense at all. I think it makes AOSP :P.
Okay Horatio.
What?!?!? Don’t get your logic. If this was factual then why dismiss HTC rep Jeff Gordon claims of it not being true. Why didn’t Google say that a HTC One and LG Optimus G versions were coming soon or be on sale in June along with the SGS4?
I can see this being really cool way down the line. The reason I say that is because you can always flash CM or other AOSP like ROMS on just about any device. But as of TODAY, Stock Android doesn’t consist of any features or really neat built in tweaks to make it worth while. I mean you can say you have a beautiful and better spec’d Stock Android phone, but if it’s about pureness just save money and get a Nexus 4.
Until Key Lime Pie comes out I don’t see the excitement in this just YET. I assume and hope that KLP will have some pretty awesome native features to push Android even further. They can improve on their camera features and quality most definitely. The features the HTC One and S4 holds is what makes the phone. Their camera features and exclusive features to their own customs is what makes the phone. The latest specs are all bonuses and icing on the cake. But if, and I think KLP will, but if KLP comes with something similar and of it’s own and continuing to unify Android and the ecosystem, then these devices will be great in the long run most definitely.
It’s not only about “pureness”. It’s about having “pureness” and arguably the sexiest phone hardware available. In my opinion, not since the Nexus One have we been able to say that.
As for the “features” you speak of, with the exception of Zoe–which is great, most are gimmicky eye candy in my opinion. They’re just in my way.
Beautiful, powerful hardware with timely, pure updates is all I’ve ever wanted.
maybe they’re making a G3 for T-Mobile ^_^
That would be awesome !
On a Samsung, fine. TouchWiz leaves a lot to be desired, which is why I use Nova and have a couple other launchers I switch it with when I get bored.
But if I owned/wanted to own an HTC One I definitely would not get stock Android. The new Sense looks AWESOME. WIsh HTC would release a phone I liked the look of so I could consider switching manufacturers.
Really? Stock Android & fast updates don’t entice you???
Not as much. I would like quicker updates, but I’m perfectly happy with my HTC One. Sense 5 is gorgeous, and the features are pretty cool as well. The exterior design is also amazing.
As much as I *love* Android…I don’t like the look of the naked Android UI… then again I’ve only briefly played with a Nexus phone. But Sense is the one manufacturer skin I like enough to not use Nova or SPB Shell 3D on top of it.
Thank you .. I agree … Sense skin is gorgeous … I have now had three phones running vanilla & 2 running sense .. The U.I of sense is far better in my opinion… I have no reason to use a custom launcher with sense
You know you can download a different launcher, which makes it look exactly like Sense.
I really like the font in Sense 5. It reminds me of the Google Now font…which similarly had me excited when I first saw it. I hope future iterations of android employ aesthetics from Google Now and Sense 5 (the latter being unlikely unfortunately).
Not everyone cares about either of the 2 as a matter of fact my backup device is a HTC One S Only now on 4.1.1 JB
Fast updates to stock? Not really, I’ll take TouchWiz and all it’s features with slightly delayed updates anyday.
You don’t think that the HTC One Developers Edition isn’t going to get updates at the same time??
You don’t like the look of the HTC One? It is a gorgeous phone. Whenever I bring my phone out, I always get positive comments about the phone’s looks? Well, to each his own.
As for myself, I would hate for this rumor to be true because this would be my ideal phone. However, I would want to include the power saving function HTC put on this phone. It is amazing. I have used Juice Defender (Ultimate) for years and this is much better.
I agree completely. Sense 5 is a winner and I prefer it over stock.
HTC Google Nexus One is coming back with a vengeance……….;-)
More like Google One by HTC since its not a Nexus
Great Name, The Google One by HTC!!!
Too good to be true! I would love to have it so and buy one for $650! Bargain!
by god i hope it does come out!!!!! Also for verizon…..
That would be great, but I don’t have my hopes to high.
you can wait for a phone with no removable storage and battery or… you can buy now :) #IO13
The Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition” isn’t out until the end of June :/
Some don’t need removable batteries or removable storage. That’s a personal preference
Oh.. Muh gawd.
If this is true, I can’t wait for the stock android ROMS to come out from the HTC One GE!
:D
Man if they actually announce this, it’s going to be my next phone once my contract’s up next year. I’m tired of depending on carriers who delay updates on purpose and their awful rollout schedules.
In a cell phone world where carriers are king I wouldn’t bet on this. It started with an employee uttering the death moan of her company in hopes that she’ll get a few more paychecks before they go belly up and then a crazy computer hacker ( i mean developer) going off the deepend as well. I will always have a special place in my heart for the HTC of yesteryear but unfortunately at some point they fell asleep at the wheel on fateful day and have a grave dug right next to RIM……
Glad to see more and more support for Google editions though I can’t help but feel this devalues the Nexus Brand a lil bit because if you have all of these devices having the Nexus support then what point does the Nexus brand actually have?
cheaper price
Great prices
My Question is if this is true…what is stopping people from getting original Stock and not a ROM on their phones?…..
Is this Google’s way of getting multiple “Nexus” devices out?
Step 1: Release HTC one stock Android;
Step 2: Shut up and take my money!!!
This would be awesome beside the fact HTC One’s camera’s needs the software to make the pictures turn out nice and the stock android doesn’t offer that :/ Otherwise this would be my next phone
My pictures look just as good from CM10.1 as they did with Sense. I don’t have Zoe but I can live without that.
Low light pictures are still just as awesome and HDR/Burst mode is just as fast as it was on sense too.
Calling it now.
One of these 3 things will happen:
1- HTC will make the next nexus phone (not based on The One) and it will launch with KLP around november. Before that a nexus7 tablet refresh will launch together with android JB 4.3
2-HTC will launch an android 4.3 stock version of the HTC One in the play store when android 4.3 is announced.
3-HTC will be the OEM behind the nexus 7 II/refresh and it will feature android 4.3
Tune here, wheres the thanks at chris?
“I just want to point out that with the already available HTC One Developer Edition with a bootloader that’s spread eagle and ready to run everything from CM10.1 to Paranoid Android, just how necessary is an HTC One Google Edition?”
I don’t understand how you can post this… Have you seen the sad state of AOSP on this device? Calling barely functions, no GPS, Camera reboots it…
Just how necessary is it? Depends…do you want the thing to actually work??
Yeah, I know…it takes time. That’s the point, though. With an AOSP edition released by HTC, all of that legwork is taken care of. Suddenly, instead of hacking away at AOSP to get this and that working…it all works. (No offense to codeworkx or any other devs “hacking away at it”; you’re our only hope if HTC fails us…)
I really hope this happens. I hated my Galaxy Nexus, but miss the hell out of AOSP. (But at least the HTC One works…)
Not sure where you are looking but you are so wrong on many levels about AOSP. There are atleast 3 that I personally know of where everything works correctly except BT, and IR blaster.
XDA, rootz…
Never used the IR Blaster (couldn’t get it working with my TV), but use BT daily.
…and you have a bizarre definition of “works correctly”, judging by the forums of those ROMS.
WEP, face-detection, wonky GPS, camera…they are all in various states of disarray at the moment.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, as soon as we get reliable calling and BT, I’m jumping on it. I’d love to see a “stock” AOSP (ala “shiny”).
Out of curiosity, what 3 are you referring to?
I guess some posters like yourself don’t see PhoenixPath’s point: if you have to say “everything works correctly except”, then everything doesn’t work! Why not allow the OEM to come up with a stock ROM that DOES have everything working? Wouldn’t that be wonderful for the modding community? A “Google edition” One would be a wonderful thing.
FWIW: They got BT working on the latest CM nightly (running it now). AOKP still seems to be having calling issues, and some of the other AOSP+ roms are stilla bit wonky (carbon’s home button not working on latest release???)
It’s definitely getting there, but an HTC AOSP (fully working) would still help everyone, at least they could all start from a fully functional, 100% working AOSP base. I’d still love to see HTC do this.
Calling barely functions? I’ve been running since the first nightly and have never had a calling issue other than over bluetooth. My GPS and camera also function perfectly.
You obviously have NO idea what ‘sad state of AOSP’ is. Go look at the Evo 3d AOSP threads, it is just now getting functional AOSP support and even though everything is working for the most part it still isn’t ‘right’.
What have you contributed to the community? The devs that are working on the M7 have done a fantastic job so far. It’s not something that they can just wiggle their noses at and make work. This is something they do in their off time and don’t get paid for.
I seem to have drawn out all of the drooling fanboys…
“Calling barely functions?”
AOKP: First call works, need to attempt a few work-arounds, jump through some hoops for the call audio to work for the next one.
Pulled directly from Roman’s (Creator of AOKP) thread on XDA.
“You obviously have NO idea what ‘sad state of AOSP’ is.”
Bull. I live and breath it. I built AOKP and CM for my Galaxy Nexus, build AOSP for my Nexus 10, and before giving up the G’Nex was running Pure AOSP on it as well.
Don’t tell me you know sh*t about me. You obviously do not.
“The devs that are working on the M7 have done a fantastic job so far.”
Learn to read: I complemented them myself. Hell, I even *bolded* it.
“It’s not something that they can just wiggle their noses at and make work.”
Well, golly-gee; I think you just reached my point. Getting AOSP from HTC on this device would pretty much take care of that, now wouldn’t it?
Instead of skimming my comment and knee-jeriking, try actually reading and comprehending it.
This has nothing to do with being a fanboy. I just don’t see the point to the misinformation you are spreading. Calling works 100% on CM10.1 on my GSM M7. Bluetooth is the only issue I have had. AOSP is in a great state on the M7. It’s a month old is and is almost fully functional even though we are stuck with older kernel source from HTC.
I agree that an AOSP release from HTC would be awesome but bashing the devs(even though you through a compliment to not look like a d*ck) is bullshit. Like I said, it is not in a sad state at all, you had a GNex so you have no idea what a sad state of AOSP is. Buy a phone that had TW, Sense or MB on it and see how fast AOSP progresses on it. If it didn’t have a Nexus twin that shares most of it’s hardware with it then the AOSP builds are going to take a while to become fully functional.
I build my roms from source too but that doesn’t make me on the level of the guys getting CM, AOKP and whatever else to work on these non-aosp phones.
“I just don’t see the point to the misinformation you are spreading.”
*laughign*
yeah. ok.
All the posts on XDA and Rootz are misinformation.
I’m glad it is working for you. Really. I am.
The forums appear to imply the same cannot be said for all (or even most) of the AOSP ROMs/users for the m7 so far.
“bashing the devs(even though you through a compliment to not look like a d*ck) is bullshit.”
Knee-jerk emotional reactions are bullsh*t. I didn’t bash anyone. I am being realistic and practical. I adore devs, all the way back to jt1134 on the Fascinate who basically *wrote* the RIL that allowed AOSP to function on that device. Sorry I didn’t faun over them while commenting on the current state. I know it’s only been a month and I *never* said I expected *more* from the devs.
I simply said HTC doing it for them would help *everyone*.
“Buy a phone that had TW”
Again…you think you know me. Stop. You do not. My first Android device was the VZW Fascinate (Galaxy S1) for which jt1134, mentioned above, had to basically write the RIL himself. The very fact you are posting this BS that you think you “know” about me proves how very little real information it takes for yout op think you “know” anything here…
Take a deep breath and relax. I am not insulting devs!
I don’t see the knee-jerk reaction or that I am fawning over anyone. I’m sorry you are having so many issues, I only follow the CM thread over there and I can say that other than the bluetooth calling issue and people wanting ‘Beats’ nobody is having the issues you are talking about. It looks as if those are AOKP related for some reason. I only know what you have told me and comparing the state of AOSP on the GNEX against any non-aosp phone is ludicrous.
“I don’t see the knee-jerk reaction”
You read my entire OP as an insult. It was not. You made a knee-jerk assumption.
“or that I am fawning over anyone.”
I never said you did. You really should try reading. Apparently, I didn’t fawn over them either…which apparently helped to set you off on your white-knight defense of devs.
” nobody is having the issues you are talking about.”
One thread? That might explain it. Check out some of the others on XDA. Even just going to the last page of any “based off of AOSP” thread.
I admit it’s getting rapidly better. I never even said it wouldn’t. The main point I was trying to make was simply that AOSP source from HTC would help *amazingly* and that the current state (at the time of my posting) was not fully functional, as the article seemed to imply.
“comparing the state of AOSP on the GNEX against any non-aosp phone is ludicrous.”
Where did I do that?
I’d say this paves the road for Motorola to release a stock phone later one. If they open the gates for Samsung, HTC, LG, and hopefully Sony, among others, Motorola would logically be next but it would eliminate the “preferential treatment” argument.
And we the consumers would be the ultimate winners because we could pick our own flavors of Android.
It’s smart to make a “nexus” phone for all the OEM flag ship devices. Real smart.
This would be pretty awesome… if it ran on Verizon.
Maybe they will get in it when they get rid of their cdma network and use only LTE on their devices.
Because you hate getting timely updates?
SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!
This is what they were talking about a while ago when there was a rumor of Google picking multiple OEM’s to manufacture the Nexus devices instead of picking 1.
In case folks have forgotten, the rumour last year was that Google would have Nexus phones by multiple OEMs all sold at the same time. I’ll be damned if it doesn’t look like this is happening this year. If they also sell this on Google Play, alongside the Nexus, GS4, and whatever Motorola brings to the table, a lot more folks will get a taste of what Android really looks and works like unskinned.
you guys all harp on the camera software, apples camera software is just as barebones as the AOSP version, but it still one of the best cameras on a phone. why cant the same be said for a google version HTC camera?
I suggested HTC to offer Sense or AOSP versions of the software on their dev site last year. I hope this comes with the phone release – no root needed to flash to a no-sense OS and stay up-to-date from Google. Or, change your mind and revert to Sense. I wish…
Let’s hope this is true, as the developer edition does not support tmo hspa+
well, f*ck. I already bought One with Sense. (Although, I don’t mind Sense and think its pretty much the best OEM UI…but I’d like to get updates right out of the gate via Pure Google.)
I’ll buy one. I was going to hang on to my Nexus 4 until an LTE Nexus 5 but I would snap one of these up even though I’m not interested in the S 4 with stock android. I’m not paying $649 for cheap plastic and dim garish screen.
I’d buy this and eat it whole.
Better make it sooner then latter with Nokia coming strong and Apple iPhone 5S happening near the same time framed. There not a lot of time between unless it is in June!
And in between that time Microsoft is going to announce some different size Surfaces and Apple is going to announce the iPad5!
A lot of people cannot buy both; so it up to the specs and looks of the product!
People that believe this crap are the one’s who are just praying and wish it to happen. Google/Android chose and proudly showed off the Samsung Galaxy S4. The HTC One has been widely available 2 months before the release of the SGS4. They would have said other phones at Google IO 13 if this had merit. Plus you can add more memory to the SGS4, I would not pay $799 or $899 for a HTC One vs $650 for the SGS4 with better specs.
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