It was rumored since last week, and now it’s official: on stage at the D11 conference this week, Google’s Sundar Pichai revealed the HTC One “Google Edition” — a model of the new HTC One that runs a stock version of Google’s Android operating system, without HTC’s Sense skin. Google often refers to its un-skinned version of Android as the “Nexus User Experience, ” after Google’s first stock Android phone, the Google Nexus from LG.
Pichai — who is Google’s senior vice president for Android, Chrome, and Google Apps — said that the HTC One Google Edition will be available from the Google Play store for $599 starting June 26th — the same date the store will also offer the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition. (The Galaxy S4 Google Edition will sell for $649). Both Google Edition handsets will run on AT&T and T-Mobile’s GSM networks in the United States, and will support for high-speed LTE data on both networks.
Google has confirmed that the HTC One with Nexus User Experience will come with Beats Audio, while HTC issued an official statement that says the handset comes with Android 4.2.2 and will get Android firmware updates directly from Google. The Verge got a quick hands-on with the HTC One Google Edition and posted some photos.
If you already bought the HTC One with HTC Sense but would rather do without it, you may be in luck. Pocket-Lint reports that HTC is considering an update that would allow HTC One owners to shed the skin in favor of stock Android.
Google also recently announced the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition with stock Android, and Google will continue to offer its Nexus line of handsets, including its updated Nexus 4 in white. The white Nexus 4 is now available on Google Play (initially only for US users), and will be sold by T-Mobile starting June 5 and by Verizon starting June 6. Android Central has the details on white Nexus 4 pricing and availability.
