14 DAY TRIAL // If the thought of a new and improved HTC One smartphone doesn’t thrill you enough, here is another one that will surely blow your mind. It appears that HTC plans to launch a Google Play Edition of the All New HTC One in the coming weeks.
The information has just been confirmed via Google Play Store. One of HTC’s newly released Android applications mentions support for a device called HTC One (M8) Google Play Edition.
Given the fact that the HTC M8 is the codename for the All New HTC One, we can safely assume that this would be the Google Play Edition version of the flagship smartphone.
Those who have already downloaded and installed HTC Gallery application for Android devices might have already noticed the reference to the unannounced device: “support for HTC One (M8) Google Play Edition is limited to HTC Photo Edit.”
But there is more to it. The changelog of the HTC Gallery application also mentions that developers have added more effects for the HTC One (M8), such as Copy & Paste, Foregrounder and Dimension Plus.
For those unfamiliar with the HTC Gallery, the application allows users to manage their photos on the smartphone. You will be able to choose a photo with the object or person you want to find and it will locate similar images almost instantly.
The application also comes with a Timeline View feature that allows users to locate images by day, month or year. Moreover, users will be able to take advantage of the POI Location searches photos that have been taken at a particular place.
Anyway, back to the All New HTC One Google Play Edition, the smartphone may not be officially introduced later today along with the standard model.
It is also worth mentioning that the Google Play Edition of the flagship handset will not be available for purchase globally. The smartphone will certainly be introduced in the United States at some point, but there’s no telling where else it will go on sale.
For the non tech-savvy, Google Play Edition smartphones are powered by stock versions of Android, so there is no bloatware whatsoever and no proprietary UIs.
These are the best smartphones for developers who can test their applications inside a clean Android environment that hasn’t been modified by OEMs.
The All New HTC One will be officially unveiled in just a few hours, hopefully, along with the Google Play Edition version. Stay tuned for more info on the matter.