Newsletter
Shortly after Google demonstrated Android L at the I/O conference in the summer, HTC confirmed that they were working on releasing the update to the HTC One inside ninety days from the official release of the code. You’ll note that I didn’t explicitly mention if it was the HTC One M7 or HTC One M8 and that’s because HTC are going to release it for both. The remark on the official blog post said, “Our approach will be the same with the Android L release from Google. This release promises to bring new features and tools to Android and we are excited to bring it to you and your HTC. As part of our HTC Advantage commitment globally, we pledge to update all of our HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) smartphones within 90 days of receiving final software from Google.” Now, the timing is, unfortunately, subject to any delays associated with our chosen carrier so this doesn’t mean that HTC One customers will be receiving the updates inside three months. It’s also possible that HTC’s schedule will slip, but it’s great to see a company supporting both their current and their previous flagship models. We’ll see what happens with the HTC One Mini models like the HTC One Mini and the HTC One Mini 2.
Let me consider the timing of this for a moment. If we assume that the Android Lollipop source code is released next week, this means that we can realistically hope to see our One devices running Android Lollipop some time in late January. There have been rumblings that HTC will be releasing their next flagship handset a little earlier in 2015 compared with 2014, so perhaps we’ll see the One M9 released a few weeks after Lollipop is released for the M7 and M8? And this leads me on to more questions about what HTC is going to do with Sense, now that Google is pushing and pulling the OEMs towards a more universal, Googly way of presenting Android.
I do not imagine HTC will drop Sense, but perhaps the next version will be closer to stock Android? If this is the case and if the timing is right, perhaps the M7 and M8 will have a preview of the M9 software, whereas earlier this year the M8’s Sense 6 preceded the M7’s Sense 6 by some weeks? I’ve asked more questions above than I have answers for! HTC are making all the right noises, doing everything right. If you’re a HTC One customer, are you pleased that your device is due to receive the upgrade to Lollipop quickly? If you aren’t a HTC user, would this help you consider the devices at your next upgrade time?