Samsung Galaxy S4 ‘Google Edition’ to be announced at Google I/O

[lefty]

Samsung Galaxy S4 ‘Google Edition’ to be announced at Google I/O (http://www.geek.com/android/samsung-galaxy-s4-google-edition-to-be-announced-at-google-io-1555174/)









Android (http://www.geek.com/category/android/)By Russell Holly (http://www.geek.com/author/rholly/) May. 14, 2013 8:47 pm
http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/CAM00030-590x330.jpgThe list of phones running the pure Google (http://www.geek.com/tag/google/) version of Android is about to increase by one as Samsung prepares the Galaxy S4 “Google Edition”.
Google’s big developer conference, I/O, is often the stage for new products, and this year is promising to be bigger than any other. Despite shifting from two smaller keynotes to one larger keynote, Google is ready to put on quite a show tomorrow. Part of the big day will be to announce a new version of Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S4. While Samsung’s phone is an incredible piece of hardware, many users find themselves less than pleased with Samsung’s version of Android. To resolve this once and for all, we’ve learned that a pure AOSP (Android Open Source Project) version of the Galaxy S4 (http://www.geek.com/tag/galaxy-s4/) is being prepped for launch and will be unveiled during the I/O keynote.
Not to be confused with a Nexus (http://www.geek.com/tag/nexus/) phone, which is a piece of hardware made with Google’s guiding hand, the Galaxy S4 GE will feature stock Android inside Samsung’s familiar plastic casing. According our sources on hand at Google I/O, this Google Edition phone is a collaboration between Samsung and Google to address a growing group of users that prefer stock Android on something other than a Nexus. In order to accomplish this right now, users would need to install custom versions of Android like CyanogenMod. Complete with removable battery and expandable storage with the MicroSD card slot, this phone could certainly address this growing niche.
This Google Edition S4 is expected to be made available starting in June and will be available on T-Mobile bands. At this time we are unaware of pricing or whether more bands will be made available. It’s also unclear if Samsung will be selling the phone or if it will be available through the Google Play Store

[Venti Quattro]

There's a Galaxy S IV thread you wanker

[lefty]

its touchwiz

it sucks

[Drachen]

Hopefully this starts a trend

[Trainwreck2100]

There's a Galaxy S IV thread you wanker

this deserves its own thread tbqh

[lefty]

Hopefully this starts a trend
Well the HTC Facebook already has stock Android (you can disable Facebook home)
Still and epic failure of a phone

[leemajors]

The hangouts shit not including sms compatibility is stupid.

[Jt.ONE]

so from what i also read here:http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/05/google-to-sell-unlocked-galaxy-s-4-with-stock-android-4-2-on-june-26/

google just stripped samsung bloat off the device(:lol fuck you samsung), and ensured consumers the google s4 will receive updates(:lol fuck you samsung) nexus style. interesting i suppose.
$649, plus tax/tip/ship from google and you're looking around $700 give or take... damn.

[lefty]

Android 4.3, new Nexus 7, 32 Nexus 4 LTE, X Phone, Google smartwatch missing in action – are you disappointed?by Chris Smith (http://www.androidauthority.com/author/chrissmith/) on May 15, 2013 8:01 pm
1 (http://www.androidauthority.com/android-4-3-nexus-7-32-nexus-4-lte-x-phone-google-smartwatch-missing-210668/#comments)












inShare






http://cdn01.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-sundar-pichai-1.jpgGoogle did not unveil at Google I/O 2013 any of the rumored hardware or operating system upgrades that various reports said it would. Should you be disappointed?

Related Posts:

→White Nexus 4 spotted again; is it coming at Google I/O 2013? (http://www.androidauthority.com/white-nexus-4-apparently-leaks-coming-at-google-io-2013-208046/)
→Entry-level Google Nexus 7 hinted again, “has not yet been announced” (http://www.androidauthority.com/entry-level-google-nexus-7-hinted-again-not-yet-announced-128243/)
→Motorola Nexus+ concept phone appears amidst Google X Phone and LG Nexus 5 rumors (http://www.androidauthority.com/motorola-nexus-concept-phone-google-x-phone-lg-nexus-5-rumors-203548/)



Just like Sundar Pichai, the head of Chrome and Android, told Wired a few days ago, this wasn’t a Google I/O keynote where you’d see new OS versions alongside new Nexus-branded hardware (http://www.androidauthority.com/google-io-2013-not-hardware-operating-systems-sundar-pichai-208138/). Instead, it was focused on users and developers – after all it’s a conference for developers – therefore on new Google apps and services.
The three-hour keynote was packed with announcements worth your attention but it had little talk about hardware. We only saw the Galaxy S4 Google Edition (http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s4-pure-android-is-google-nexus-5-210542/) mentioned on stage right next to a bunch of Chromebooks including the high-end Chromebook Pixel that was offered to all Google I/O attendees (http://www.androidauthority.com/free-chromebook-pixel-google-io-210228/). In fact, we also saw the Nexus 4 used to demo certain features, but also the iPhone and the iPad when talking about certain apps and/or features.
In case you missed the opening keynote, you can always check our I/O coverage (http://www.androidauthority.com/google-io-roundup-210560/) and read more details about all the software novelties Google introduced at this edition.

http://cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-Google-Play-Game-services-2.jpgIn short, Google announced new services such as Google Play Game Services, Google Play Music All Access, Android Studio, Google Play for Education and Google Hangouts, and revamped some of its existing web products including the Google Play Store, Google Play Services, Google Plus, Google Maps and (unsurprisingly) Google Search.
So what didn’t make the cut or simply wasn’t supposed to be unveiled at this time – of course, assuming that any of the products we're going to talk about is actually real? Let’s take a look!
No Android 4.3 Despite having seen it in server logs (http://www.androidauthority.com/android-4-3-jelly-bean-galaxy-nexus-nexus-4-nexus-7-nexus-10-server-logs-199908/), and despite Google having revealed it itself (http://www.androidauthority.com/android-4-3-jelly-bean-google-209896/), Android 4.3 was not unveiled at Google I/O. In fact, Google did not announce any new Android update, and did not mention any details about any future OS versions.
In case you haven’t been keeping up with recent rumors and you’re asking about Android 5.0 then we’ll tell you that particular version wasn’t unveiled either, but it wasn't the primary candidate for a Google I/O 2013 announcement anyway, considering all the recent Android 4.3 talk.

http://cdn04.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-google-play-music-all-access-1.jpgNo “new Nexus 7”That “new Nexus 7” one analyst mentioned not long ago looked great on paper (http://www.androidauthority.com/nexus-7-android-4-3-jelly-bean-snapdragon-s4-pro-206454/), sporting pretty believable specs. Considering that the first-gen Nexus 7 was announced at Google I/O, it made plenty of sense to assume that a second-gen product was in the cards for this year’s Google I/O edition, but that was not the case.
Google did make sort of a big deal about apps for tablets during some of the keynote’s various sections, but it did not unveil a new tablet of its own.
No 32GB Nexus 4 LTEAnother rumor that got more traction in the past few weeks mentioned the slightly upgraded Nexus 4 – a device that would sport 32GB of storage, offer LTE connectivity and would be unveiled at Google I/O 2013.
Considering that the Nexus 4 is only five months old – which may be old in Android years but it's still a new product – it wouldn’t have made much sense to actually see a Nexus 5 unveiled at the event. But releasing a slightly updated Nexus 4 model may have made some sense, especially if paired with a new Android OS update.

http://cdn02.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-galaxy-s4-google-edition-1.jpgThe ” href=”http://www.androidauthority.com/white-nexus-4-qualcomm-booth-the-mobile-show-208934/”>white Nexus 4 model wasn't acknowledged during the show either.
No X PhoneThe other important presence in day-to-day Android rumors is the Motorola-made X Phone (http://www.androidauthority.com/motorola-xt1058-google-x-phone-fcc-207312/) that should be an Android device running a stock Android version, almost a Nexus device but without the Nexus branding.
Of course those X Phone rumors aren’t always on the same page, and while some people believed the X Phone could be unveiled on stage at Google I/O 2013, others said the handset would not make it to the show.


No Google smartwatchIt would appear that our sources were wrong, or at least when talking about the Google smartwatch (http://www.androidauthority.com/google-smartwatch-real-207878/). The rumored device may be unveiled at a later date, but it was a no-show at Google I/O 2013.

http://cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-google-play-for-education-1.jpg
Related Posts:

→White Nexus 4 spotted again; is it coming at Google I/O 2013? (http://www.androidauthority.com/white-nexus-4-apparently-leaks-coming-at-google-io-2013-208046/)
→Entry-level Google Nexus 7 hinted again, “has not yet been announced” (http://www.androidauthority.com/entry-level-google-nexus-7-hinted-again-not-yet-announced-128243/)
→Motorola Nexus+ concept phone appears amidst Google X Phone and LG Nexus 5 rumors (http://www.androidauthority.com/motorola-nexus-concept-phone-google-x-phone-lg-nexus-5-rumors-203548/)



In fact, while we’re talking about wearable computing, we’ll also add that aside from the Google Glasses worn by a few developers attending the show, there wasn't anything new Glass-related coming from Google at this time either.
Are you disappointed?In case you were looking forward to see affordable hardware announced by Google, then you may be somewhat disappointed at this time. There’s nothing new except for that Galaxy S4 “Nexus” that will be launched later in June. And that may not be enough for certain tech fans, mostly because it’s not necessarily affordable (http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s4-google-edition-is-official-coming-on-june-26-with-stock-android-210132/).
But it’s not all bad news either. Some of the products mentioned above may be launched at some point later down the road in case they’re real. If they’re fake, well, other Nexus handsets and tablets will appear down the road. Google will almost certainly have new Nexus devices in stores later this year, because sooner or later it will have to update Android OS to a new major version, at which point it will need to have fresh hardware to showcase the new features.
In case you haven’t been really looking forward to mild product refreshes – which is most likely what Android 4.3 and a 32GB Nexus 4 LTE would have offered – then you don’t have any reason to be angry with Google. The company focused on software just like it said it would, and delivered on that promise, revealing some interesting products and/or product updates during the show.

http://cdn02.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-search-5.jpgMaybe products such as Android 4.3 or the rumored 32GB Nexus 4 LTE and second-gen Nexus 7 aren’t worthy of being the center of attention of an event like Google I/O. Let’s not forget that in late October 2012, Google had to cancel its special media event (http://www.androidauthority.com/googles-nexus-4-nexus-10-nexus-7-3g-android-4-2-announcement-event-cancelled-sandy-blame-126400/) due to a certain hurricane that hit New York City. The company went on to unveil Android 4.2.2, the Nexus 4, the new Nexus 7 versions and the Nexus 10 tablets via simple press releases. Maybe the same thing will happen with upcoming Android OS versions that aren’t major releases and with some Nexus products that will only offer slightly better specs than their predecessors (in case such products will be made).
Like I said before, a new Android version will eventually arrive, and Google will surely bundle it with new hardware that will most likely match the 2013 standards for high-end tablets and smartphones. After all, Google is not done getting people online, and it will certainly continue to come up with new mobile updates in the future.
In the meantime, Jelly Bean will be available on more and more devices (http://www.androidauthority.com/android-stats-jelly-bean-gingerbread-ice-cream-sandwich-201244/), which may be something Google is interested in. Maybe the company is intentionally delaying Android 4.3 and/or Android 5.0 in order to have more OEMs upgrade existing devices to Jelly Bean. Maybe the company wants to make sure more and more devices run its latest Android versions before a new one comes along, which is something that would help developers too, not that we’re going to talk about OS fragmentation again (http://www.androidauthority.com/android-fragmentation-201538/). And maybe the company wants those users that are still running pre-Ice Cream Sandwich Android versions to have an enjoyable Android experience without having to buy new hardware (which may be unaffordable to some people) or install custom Android ROMs (which may be too difficult for inexperienced users).

http://cdn02.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-io-android-reach-1.jpgWhat’s certain is that Google is surely taking care of its moneymakers, which are its search- and ad-based web services that bring in lots of cash each quarter, with plenty of that cash coming from mobile devices. Now, the better those services, the better the overall experience for consumers that don’t have the latest and greatest hardware and/or Android software and the more money Google eventually makes.
Moreover – in case you missed the keynote and did not see Google’s references about the other billions of people that aren’t yet connected to the web (http://www.androidauthority.com/google-io-android-activations-210036/), with most of them residing in emerging markets – maybe Google wants to make sure core products like Search, Maps or Google+ are ready to offer an even better experience across platforms, one that wouldn’t be dependent on running the latest Android version or packing the latest hardware Nexus-branded or not.
What's clear is that events like Google I/O are always surrounded by a lot of buzz, with tech enthusiasts and blogs always having high expectations from companies like Google, so nobody will be entirely happy about the products unveiled during such an event.
But let’s hear it from you, Android fans! Are you disappointed with Google I/O 2013 or not?

[Drachen]

The hangouts shit not including sms compatibility is stupid.

This. I barely use talk as it is. I won't use hangouts more.

[resistanze]

The hangouts shit not including sms compatibility is stupid.

[leemajors]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/strategy-analytics-android-profit-q1-2013-1368667031.jpg

[lefty]

'Google Edition' HTC One coming soon with vanilla Android


SMARTPHONES (http://www.androidcentral.com/articles/smartphones)
NEWS (http://www.androidcentral.com/articles/news)


By Alex Dobie (http://www.androidcentral.com/author/alex-dobie) | May 24 2013 | 10:35 am | 121 COMMENTS (http://www.androidcentral.com/google-edition-htc-one-coming-soon-vanilla-android#comments)

http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/imagecache/w680h550/postimages/108579/stock-htc-one-3.jpgThe rumors are true — HTC and Google will collaborate on a 'Nexus user experience' version of the HTC OneEver since the Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition” announcement (http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-google-edition-real) at Google I/O (http://www.androidcentral.com/googleio) last week, rumors have been circulating that HTC might follow suit with a vanilla version of its own flagship device. Recently, Russell Holly of Geek.com (http://www.geek.com/android/htc-considering-a-stock-android-htc-one-senseless-edition-1556220/) and Paul O’Brien of MoDaCo (http://www.modaco.com/page/news/_/android/htc-one-google-edition-for-the-us-imminent-r1110)have chimed in with reports that such a device is on the way. Today we can confirm through our own sources that despite official denials, the “Google Edition” HTC One (http://www.androidcentral.com/htc-one) is indeed real, and will be announced in the next week or so.
Let's take a look at what we know, and what it could mean.
Like the special “Google Edition” Galaxy S4, timely updates will be promised alongside the “stock” Android user experience on this HTC One. One source believes that in exchange for early access to upcoming Android code, “Google Edition” OEMs like HTC and Samsung will be subject to certain deadlines for preparing updates for their vanilla Android handsets. HTC would also enjoy higher margins on these vanilla HTC Ones, as additional licensing fees for certain Sense 5 software features would not apply. All in all, it’s a pretty good deal for everyone.
Questions raisedThe existence of a Google Edition HTC One raises several questions, however. The current two-buttoned HTC One relies on an unsightly on-screen bar for legacy menu key support, so how would this work on a vanilla Android variant? It's unlikely that menu key functionality could be re-mapped to, say, a long-press of the back key, as it's previously been confirmed that Google doesn't want HTC hiding the menu button (https://twitter.com/drewbam/status/328718801543782400). The most direct (but unlikely) solution would be a change to the hardware key layout, assuming Google and HTC want to avoid losing screen space to an on-screen menu bar.
What's more, the presence of stock Android on an HTC One would likely rule out software tricks like Beats Audio. This could have a knock-on effect on features like the "BoomSound" front-facing speakers, which take advantage of Beats software enhancements. Similarly, the "UltraPixel" camera could likely lose some of its fancier imaging tricks -- side-by-side shots (http://imgur.com/a/yhHRK#0) have already shown a marked reduction in image quality for HTC Ones running CyanogenMod 10.1-based firmware compared to HTC Sense 5.
Then there's the question of the power button-mounted IR blaster. Could this component lie dormant in the new Googlified HTC One, or will new software be included to take advantage of it? These are all things worth considering before assuming that an HTC One with stock Android might be better than one with Sense.
Regardless, it's great news for buyers in the U.S. wanting the latest vanilla Android from Google on the latest hardware from HTC. (We’re still in the dark about international availability of Google Edition handsets, unfortunately.) We’re expecting an official announcement in the next week, and it’s likely the Google Edition HTC One will go on sale around the same time as its Galaxy S4 counterpart -- though we’re not hearing any specifics on release dates or pricing just yet.
Given the choice, would you prefer vanilla Android on a Galaxy S4 or HTC One? Hit the comments and let us know.

[resistanze]

The S4 has 12.65 GB free initially over the 9.72 GB of the TW version. Fucking Samsung.

[leemajors]

I didn't realize Samsung was still curating the Android build on there, so you don't necesarily get updates right when the Nexus' do. Same for the One, neither are true vanilla :lol

[Drachen]

Though the two builds have a newer version of the stock camera app than the nexus 4 does. Many nexus owners are mad (I'm not too worried as long as this situation doesn't drag on too long)

[lefty]

Those 2 phones dont have the TW or Sense features, so they dont take full advantage of the hardwares