Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Products

HTC says no to Nexus-like version of the HTC One (Updated: It may be coming, after all)

Andy Boxall
By

samasung-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one-mem-1If you were hoping the announcement of the Galaxy S4 sans TouchWiz at Google I/O this week would start an industry-wide trend, where manufacturers would throw off their user interfaces like the shackles of oppression, prepare yourself for some disappointment. A spokesperson from HTC has told TechnoBuffalo it currently has no plans to do the same with its own flagship Android phone, the HTC One.

In a way it’s not a surprise, as HTC ships the One with Sense 5.0, a completely new version of its user interface on which it obviously worked hard. Abandoning it in the hope of selling a few unlocked phones through Google Play sounds like a waste of resources. When you’re Samsung though, diversifying the Galaxy S4 this way carries little or no risk. An easy decision to make when you’re making a fat pile of cash.

Recommended Videos

HTC already does its bit for developers, which is really who the stock Android version of the Galaxy S4 is aimed at, with the Developer Edition of the HTC One, a device it sells directly to customers through its website for $575. Like the S4, it has an unlocked bootloader, and comes SIM-free for use on most GSM networks. Motorola also uses the Developer Edition name for its range of unlocked phones, and charges $599 for the Droid Razr HD.

Related

Google will start selling its version of the Galaxy S4 on June 26 for $650 through Google Play, and if you’re wondering why we’re skirting around its name, it’s because Google hasn’t confirmed what it’ll be yet. A last-minute leak called it the Google Edition, but Nexus Edition or Developer Edition is just as likely, or it could just keep it simple and call it the Galaxy S4. As for all the other Android manufacturers, although we’d like to see Google and Samsung’s move start a trend, it’s probably a far off dream.

Updated on 22/05/2013 by Andy: A developer with close ties to HTC has said via Twitter that actually, HTC is planning to release an HTC One without its HTC Sense user interface over the top of Android. He claims to know the phone exists, “As a fact,” and says it could be announced at the end of the summer. As good as this sounds, the above statement comes from HTC itself, so it’s the one we should treat as being correct at the moment.

Article originally published on 05/16/2013

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra looks like one of 2023’s most exciting tablets
Render of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

Android tablet fans, buckle up. We've finally gotten our first look at the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra via a handful of leaked renders, and it looks like it might be a worthy successor to the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

First shared in one of MySmartPrice's frequent collaborations with OnLeaks, the design of the Tab S9 Ultra is following in the footsteps of its predecessor with an absolutely massive screen.

Read more
I’m no camera expert, but this S23 Ultra app makes me look like one
Close-up shot of the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

When I hear someone has used Photoshop or Lightroom to edit a RAW photo, I imagine it has taken a considerable amount of time, and required a fair degree of expertise and understanding of photography to do it. The Galaxy S23 Ultra can take photos in RAW format, and it recommends the Lightroom for Samsung app to edit them. As a keen photographer and someone who likes to edit photos in other apps, I wanted to give RAW photos and Lightroom editing a try.

The question is, do you have to be an expert to use the Expert RAW app and Lightroom’s editing tools? I was about to find out.
You’ll have to pay to get the most from it

Read more
The 15 most important smartphones that changed the world forever
Huawei P30 Pro and P30

If there’s any piece of technology that has made a significant impact on the lives of everyone, it’s the cellular phone —  specifically, the smartphone. It’s literally a tiny computer that fits into your pocket, and brings a plethora of information, entertainment, and lets you capture visual memories or be productive wherever you go. Pretty much everyone has a smartphone these days, for better or for worse.

But have you ever thought about which smartphones have been the most important and influential ones that shaped the rest of the industry? Let’s take a look at what we consider to be the most important smartphones of all time.
iPhone (2007)

Read more