• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Google edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 wont receive updates directly from Google

gtbarry

Android Expert
Jul 15, 2012
1,881
731
California
  • Like
Reactions: funkylogik
Well, this shaves off a little of the joy.

both devices are running kernels supplied by their respective OEMs, meaning neither the HTC One or the Galaxy S4 Google Editions will see updates directly from Google. The Verge was also able to corroborate this information.


Google Play edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 wont receive updates directly from Google
I had a feeling this would happen. The keynote stated they would get timely updates, not immediate updates.
So whats really the point lol? :)

I guess a lot will depend on how easy and stable this can be ported to the other variants.
If so, then I guess the only advantage would be to have something sim & bootloader unlocked device that supports US frequencies. Since both the T-Mobile and AT&T variants of the S4 are sim locked, AT&T S4 is bootloader locked. Not much of an advantage for the HTC One though.
 
Upvote 0
There's still at least one upside: Owners of the regular S4 and One will benefit indirectly from XDA support.

Even with updates being somewhat later, that just means that even if Samsung doesn't release updates for their non-Google versions, XDA devs will still have their roms and kernels from their work done on the Google versions to flash onto the non-Google versions
 
Upvote 0
Well, this shaves off a little of the joy.

both devices are running kernels supplied by their respective OEMs, meaning neither the HTC One or the Galaxy S4 Google Editions will see updates directly from Google. The Verge was also able to corroborate this information.


Google Play edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 wont receive updates directly from Google

See my comments in the article.

I think that the blogosphere is painfully confused.

HTC maintains on their site that updates will come through Google, and they always have.

The Google dev said that they wouldn't host full binary images.

He said nothing about updates.
 
Upvote 0
Well, no bloatware to start. But no updates in the future. So you'll be kind of stuck in the present.

Anyone who buys a phone like that is gona be a rooter anyway and be able to de-bloat.
I still havnt read the post tbh lol but i hope EM is right and google are doin the updates. As Rx says though, even if the manufacturer or even the carrier pushed them, it should be faster coz theres less phones to push to and they dont have to develop a skin for it :)
 
Upvote 0
It's an unlocked phone.

No one carrier in any region could push the update (even though available in the USA only for the time being).

That leaves either Samsung and HTC pushing updates, Google pushing them or no one pushing them.

Black and white, HTC says Google is doing it -

http://blog.htc.com/2013/05/htc-one-google-nexus-experience/
 
  • Like
Reactions: funkylogik
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones