Google has been killing of Google Play Edition devices left and right over the past year and today, the final one has been given the axe. As noticeable on the homepage of the Play Store, the Google Play Edition HTC One M8 is no longer available for purchase. The device was listed at $699 and released last year.
Google has started rolling out the (almost) latest version of Android to the Google Play Edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The over-the-air update to version 5.0 (not the more recent 5.0.1) was noticed by Android Police today.
Previously the S4 had been said to be on the schedule for Lollipop in “early 2015,” but apparently things moved a little faster than expected. Other GPE devices like the Moto G have also recently started seeing updates to the new operating system.
Earlier today Google also made the Android 5.0.1 factory image available for the LTE-equipped Nexus 9 tablet.
Update: Versi has also now confirmed that the One M7 Google Play Edition’s update will begin to rollout, as well.
After a few weeks of delays and last-minute issues with Google, HTC this evening has announced that it will begin rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop to the Google Play Edition HTC One M8 tomorrow. In a post on Twitter, HTC’s VP of Product Management Mo Versi confirmed that the update will begin to rollout tomorrow, December 5th at 12PM PT/3PM ET.
Google today released a new Android app called Device Assist that offers live tech support, troubleshooting, tips and more for Nexus, Google Play edition, and Android One devices.
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Sony announced on Wednesday that Android 5.0 Lollipop is rolling out this week for the Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition, while confirming that other devices in the Xperia Z lineup will receive the latest software version in early 2015. Sony pledged in October that it would bring Android Lollipop to its entire lineup of premium Z-series devices.
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An over-the-air update for Lollipop is now live for the Google Play edition LG G Pad 8.3. The software push appears to be rolling out in stages, so you may not see it right away if you’ve invested in this near-stock Android tablet. The device received Android 4.4.4 this past summer and is now moving on to Mountain View’s latest offering before most of its competitors.
If there is one area where iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can exercise their bragging rights, it is with the timely and consistent software updates received from Apple. Google’s rollout of Android Lollipop has been far less predictable, with only a portion of Nexus devices having received the update and owners of devices from other manufacturers like Samsung, LG and HTC still waiting.
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Android 5.0 is here and if you’ve invested in a Google Play edition of the HTC One M8 or last year’s M7, your respective device’s update is expected to land next week. This information comes from Mo Versi HTC’s vice president of product management who recently stated that his company was targeting a release time of next week.
During the summer of 2013, the line-up of Google Play Edition devices grew incredibly quickly, with devices available from HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony. Last month, however, the selection of devices dropped to just three: the Moto G, Galaxy S4, and HTC One (M8). Now, this evening, Google has removed the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition from the store without any replacement in sight.
While those buying high-end handsets often get the option of Google Play editions that are free from manufacturer overlays, the same isn’t generally true of low-end ones, where manufacturer overlays rule. ZTE’s new Blade Vec 4G handset, though, is being supplied with the Google Now Launcher as the default interface, reports the WSJ.
“Some consumers may prefer Google Now Launcher,” said Zeng Xuezhong, ZTE’s head of mobile device business, in an interview Thursday. “We are trying to give users more options.”
The Chinese manufacturer says that it expects to sell around 20M smartphones in its home market this year, with a similar number in the US.
ZTE says that it plans to launch further Google edition handsets in future, but that it will continue to use the MiFlavor overlay on others. Its high-end Nubia Z7 was announced earlier this month, but it’s not yet clear whether it will make it to the USA.
If you had your heart set on picking up a Google Play edition of Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra, only to see it removed from the Play Store, then turn that frown upside down! Online retailer EXPANSYS is currently running a promotion that drastically drops the price of four US Google Play edition devices. For example, the Samsung GS4 GPE goes for $650 from Google Play, but this deal knocks it down to just $400. Not too shabby.
There’s something bizarre going on at Google Play. If you visit the site’s Devices section and take a look at its Google Play edition listings, you’ll notice that it’s been pared down to just three devices: the HTC One M8, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and the Moto G. For one reason or another, devices like Sony’s Z Ultra and last year’s HTC One M7 are missing in action.
Android 4.4.4 is on the move and the latest handset to be blessed with an over-the-air push of Mountain View’s newest version of KitKat is the Google Play edition of the Moto G. Released to tackle a few bugs and potential security exploits missed by its predecessor, this fairly lean update doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of aesthetics.
The Android 4.4.3 train has no signs of slowing down. After hitting several Nexus devices and Motorola announcing its release schedule earlier today, the Google Play editions of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One (M7) are joining in on the fun. Owners of these special edition handsets are slowly but surely receiving an over-the-air update that moves their device to Android 4.4.3.
An unannounced Samsung device listed as SM-G900FG recently cleared the Bluetooth SIG’s certification, so what might it be? The current model of the Galaxy S5 carries the SM-G900F, which suggests that this mystery gadget could be the Google Play edition of the GS5. Adding support to this theory, last year’s Galaxy S4 was listed as GT-I9505, with it’s Google Play counterpart being referred to as GT-I9505G. So that “G” at the end of this foreign device really stands out.
Hot on the heels of the HTC One GPE receiving its own Android 4.4.2 update comes news that the Galaxy S 4 variant is now seeing the update arrive. Owners of the GT-i950G should start seeing the OTA update rolling out in the form of a 57.8MB update.
HTC One Google Play edition owners should look lively as they appear to be next in line for a software update to Android 4.4.2. According to an Android Police report, limited reports are beginning to arrive as HTC One GPE owners are starting to see the update arrive.
HTC’s trend of Android update transparency continued yesterday with hints that Android 4.4 KitKat will arrive stateside on the HTC One before the end of January. In response to a customer inquiry, HTC’s @htcusa account responded “In North America, we plan to deliver Kit Kat (including Sense 5.5) to HTC One customers by the end of January.”
Good news all you HTC One Google Play edition owners as the manufacturer just tweeted that KitKat code has been delivered to Google. HTC states the timing of the pushed update via the PlayStore will be determined by Google and with no timeline history to rely on, we’re left guessing how long it take before el Google will push it out.
There’s no denying it – the HTC One is one of the nicest pieces of Android hardware on the market. When we reviewed it back in April, we called it “a standout, breathtaking Android phone” and boasted about its above-average build quality and crystal clear display. For me, however, there has always been one thing keeping the HTC One from being my go-to recommendation for the best Android smartphone out there – HTC Sense. This is why I couldn’t be any more pleased that Google has decided to release a “Google Play Edition” of the HTC One running stock Android, giving us more hardware options for pure Android devices on top of its Nexus line that ships alongside major new releases.
HTC Sense, the company’s Android UX overlay it uses to help make its phones unique, unfortunately adds an extra layer that affects the overall performance of the hardware considerably. HTC isn’t the only one. We noticed major performance improvements in our full review of the new Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition running stock Android instead of Samsung’s clunky TouchWiz UX.
For these reasons, I’ve been toting LG’s Nexus 4, which up until recently was the only out-of-the-box, stock Android smartphone available on top of above-average hardware. While there’s no mistaking the HTC One’s superior hardware, because of Sense, it continued to take a back seat to my Nexus 4. With Google’s recent introduction of new stock Android devices under the “Google Play Edition” moniker, the HTC One finally has the opportunity to win me over.
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Last week we told you about the HTC One variants receiving stock Android ROMs based off of the Google Play Edition model, and now it’s the Galaxy S4’s turn. A developer over at XDA has successfully ported the ROM found on the Google Edition Galaxy S4 to the Galaxy S4 on Verizon. It’s a tad unclear as to whether it is based off of the Android 4.3 build that leaked last week or the Android 4.2.2 build that it shipped with, but we’re inclined to go with the latter.
The developer has a variety of ROMs available, some with themes and rooted, and some totally bare like you’d get on a Nexus device.
Keep in mind that this is a port and there may be some bugs here and there. Whether or not it’s stable enough to run as a daily driver is purely up to you.
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Earlier this week, the Google Play edition Galaxy S4 was finally released to the public, and while it isn’t in the hands of any consumers yet, Android 4.3 is now available for it. Fansite SamMobile has gotten its hands on a leaked Android 4.3 build for the Google edition Galaxy S4 and put it up for grabs. Within a very short amount of time, the ROM was ported to the European GT-i9505G Galaxy S4, as well.
The screenshots published by SamMobile don’t show any notable changes in Android 4.3 over Android 4.2.2. As more and more people install it on their Google edition and European Galaxy S4 variants, however, we can expect a few differences to be noted. For the time being though, it looks like Android 4.3 is a very minor bump from Android 4.2.
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