It looks like Google editions of phones will be the next big trend, and by no means is that a bad thing. Back at Google I/O 2013, Samsung and Google announced a stock Android edition of the Galaxy S4. The device is identical to the previously available model in every aspect, except for the fact that it runs stock Android Jelly Bean. Ever since that announcement at Google I/O, rumors have been swirling claiming that HTC is planning to launch a Google Edition of the HTC One running stock Android. Over the last few days, rumors regarding this have picked up and started coming from more reliable and well-known sources. Pocket-Lint, a source that broke original reports of a Google Edition HTC One, is back with some more details.
British technology site Pocket-Lint is reporting that HTC plans to produce the HTC One Google Edition in very limited quantities. According to “a source familiar with the matter,” getting your hands on an HTC One running stock Android will be very hard. While the source could not disclose exactly how many devices would be produced, it did say that just “around one percent of total sales of the device so far” will be sold with stock Android. According to several reports, HTC has sold about 5 million units of its latest flagship. So do doing simple match with that number tells you that the manufacturer will sell roughly 50,000 HTC Ones running stock Android.
It’s unclear exactly how high interest will be in the Google Edition HTC One, or how many devices Samsung plans to sell of its Galaxy S4 with stock Android. Pricing for HTC’s stock Android One is also unclear at this point. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 costs $650 in its Google Edition variant, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the HTC One come in at that same price.
Keep in mind that all of this is just rumor piled on top of rumor. HTC has yet to even confirm the existence of a stock Android One. The company declined to comment when asked about the device.
Do you plan on buying a Google Edition HTC One? If so, you better make sure you’re ready to pull the trigger immediately.
Source: Pocket-Lint