Android fans, contain yourselves.
HTC just announced a special version of its acclaimed One smartphone with a “Nexus user experience” — meaning there’s nothing getting between you and a pure Android experience. The new One will be available on the Google Play store for $599 starting June 26.
Just like the recently announced Nexus-fied Samsung Galaxy S4, the new HTC One model forgoes its proprietary Sense software for stock Android software. That means you lose some of Sense’s features, like the nifty BlinkFeed, but you get a user experience that’s like one of Google’s flagship Nexus devices.
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This One model comes with 32GB of storage and runs Android 4.2.2, while existing models are currently running Android 4.1.2. It will also receive Android updates directly from Google — so you’ll get updates months ahead of other HTC One owners.
In its original incarnation, I found the HTC One to be the best smartphone on the market. Now with a pure Android option, though, there’s practically nothing to complain about (except for that high price). Expect Android fans to eat it up.
HTC also offers a SIM unlocked One model for $599 and a special Developer Edition with 64GB of storage for $649.
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