Saturday, June 29, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Google reportedly seeking to shift higher portion of Play Store revenue to itself

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 10:26 PM PDT

Two analysts with firm Macquarie have told Business Insider that Google is looking to increase its revenue from Play Store sales by altering the percentage that goes to carriers, and the percentage that it retains for itself. Google hasn’t commented on the rumor, but according to the analysts, developers’ income won’t be affected.

Capture

The two analysts are Ben Schachter and Eugene Jung, the latter of which told Business Insider that Google is seeking to increase its revenue from the Play Store inside South Korea, while Schachter went on to explain that he thinks this is happening outside of the nation, as well. Unfortunately, not much more was told about the matter, such as what has led to their conclusion.

Under the current arrangement, developers earn the majority of the revenue from the sales of their Android apps, receiving 70-percent. The remaining 30-percent is split two ways: 25-percent goes to the carrier, while the remaining 5-percent was retained by Google. It is the 30-percent that doesn’t go to the developer that Google wants to change.

According to Jung, Google wants to bump its share up from 5-percent thrice that at 15-percent, splitting the 30-percent 50/50 with the carrier. To put this in perspective, the analysts say that – based on data from an analyst firm called Distimo – the Play Store raked in $350 million in revenue in May. Of that revenue, by receiving 5-percent, Google would have made $17.5 million.

Under the rumored changes, based on that same revenue figure, Google would instead make $52.5 million, quite a substantial jump. Reportedly, the changes will have to be hashed out with the carriers, who would see a 10-percent drop in their share of the funds. Should the change be successful, however, the analysts say Google could make $500 million next year.

SOURCE: Business Insider

Samsung remains primary Apple supplier through 2014 despite deal with TSMC

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 08:36 PM PDT

Word surfaced back in April that Apple distancing itself from fierce competitor Samsung, forming a partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Those plans didn’t pan out immediately, however, because the Taiwanese company – called TSMC – failed to make chips that were up to Apple’s various standards. Today TSMC announced that it has ironed out the issues and officially entered into a deal with Apple, but through the next year Samsung will remain the company’s main supplier.

iphone_5_galaxy_s_iii_2-580x435-540x40511

As Samsung grew to be a large competitor against Apple – eventually shipping out more smartphones globally than iPhones – Apple began taking steps to distance itself from the company, calling such moves “risk diversification” and other terms. The reality is that Apple still very heavily depends on Samsung for some of its hardware, and that distancing itself from the Korean company has proved slow.

Both the companies have engaged in fierce back-and-forth legal battles over patents, adding further tension to the symbiotic relationship they share. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that executives at Apple feel that by depending on Samsung, the company is inherently limited in its “ability to controls its destiny”, due in part to limited negotiation ability and branching out into other technologies.

One former Apple executive in particular reportedly said that the notion of taking all the work and time that Apple has spent with Samsung and starting with a new supplier from scratch is “daunting.” As well, Samsung is one of the top suppliers for high-end components, and finding an alternative that can meet its needs is proving difficult, as the delays with TSMC have shown.

Although Apple relies on Samsung for microprocessors for its slates and iPhones, it has moved away from using the manufacturer’s displays on nearly all of its devices, with only some of the newer iPads’ screens coming from the Korean company.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal

Verizon 4G LTE-only handsets to start rolling out in late 2014

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:18 PM PDT

Verizon‘s 4G LTE network hit the 500 market milestone yesterday, and today the carrier has revealed that its first round of 4G LTE-only smartphones will be arriving late next year. The information comes from Verizon’s Chief Network Officer Nicki Palmer, who spoke in a conference call earlier with a promise that “[Verizon] will get this right. Our brand is built on reliability.”

Verizon-4G-Lte-Logo-540x4101

The devices are waiting on the launch of Verizon’s VoLTE network, which will allow voice to be transmitted over the 4G LTE network, something currently reserved for data. The carrier has been working on VoLTE for some time now, and is nearing the project’s completion, with plans to roll it out next year. The plan is for the handsets to launch around the same time.

When the VoLTE network goes live, it will do so in one large blanket sweep, being available for users across all the markets, rather than in bits and pieces as with the data 4G LTE rollout. As such, all of Verizon’s users with applicable hardware will be able to take advantage of the technology, which will provide better voice calls.

Another advantage of VoLTe will be the ability for subscribers to use data on their phone at the same time they talk, such as through a Bluetooth earpiece. Some of its rivals have already made this possible, and so it isn’t surprising that Palmer said the carrier is “working aggressively now” at going big with the new handsets and the voice over 4G LTE network as a whole. Thus far, the only 4G-only device Verizon offers is the Samsung Galaxy Camera.

The advantages of a 4G LTE-only device are numerous, such as possibly being slimmer due to the lack of multiple radios. In addition, Palmer alluded to possibly cheaper prices, noting that the cost of LTE radios are dropping, something that will decrease the cost of handsets. When asked, however, she didn’t specify what kind of pricing consumers can expect for these smartphones.

SOURCE: CNET

Verizon Galaxy S4 with 32GB ships starting June 29

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 03:59 PM PDT

Verizon Wireless has confirmed today that the carrier will finally be offering a 32GB version of the popular flagship Samsung Galaxy S 4 smartphone. After initially launching on all US carriers with only 16GB of storage, Verizon included, we’ll finally be able to get a model with more storage starting tomorrow for $299.

2013062895153942

After countless complaints and issues regarding the internal storage limits, this should be good news for many. While the Galaxy S 4 is one of a few devices these days with a micro-SD slot, the idea of paying more for added storage may seem odd. However, internal storage is usually a bit faster, not to mention not having to deal with micro-SD cards and swapping storage.

Verizon has confirmed the 32GB Galaxy S 4 will be available online starting tomorrow, June 29th, and will run users $299 compared to $199 for the 16GB model. However, the devices won’t actually start shipping until July 3rd. We’re not sure why the month delay from Samsung for the 32GB model, but at least it’s finally an option.

The Galaxy S 4 has a lot of advanced features for gesture controls, eye-scroll, quick pause features and more, not to mention a custom user interface over Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The 16GB model comes with only 8GB remaining out of the box, and this was a big complaint for many. So it’s nice to see another option will be available to buyers. This also means a 32GB GS4 paired with a 64GB micro-SD will get you plenty of storage.

Who’s buying. I just want Verizon to announce their HTC One already. Can that be next please?

SOURCE: Verizon

Motorola DROID XYBOARD Jelly Bean update confirmed

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 03:22 PM PDT

If you’re one of the few that owns Motorola’s XYBOARD tablet, we have good news. And it’s pretty surprising to say the least. According to the official Motorola update page, the Verizon-branded DROID XYBOARD tablets will be getting updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Both the 10.1 and 8.2-inch slates.

IMG_1564-540x375

However, the WiFi models might not enjoy such luxuries. Wait what? Yes you read that right. Usually Wifi tablets get updated much quicker than any carrier branded tablet (or phone) and sometimes WiFi tablets get updated while a carrier model never enjoys the update at all. Oddly we’re seeing just the opposite today for those DROID-flavored tablets.

Motorola recently changed their product page, stating that the Verizon DROID XYBOARD tablets will both be upgraded to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Previously the page had them slated for no updates with it reading “This device will remain on Android 4.0 (ICS)” and that’s all she wrote. Then below, it shows the WiFi model as staying on ICS, and not received Jelly Bean. That’s just odd, and probably wrong.

Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 2.53.16 PM

According to AndroidPolice Verizon has confirmed the update is indeed coming soon, however no date was given. So for all of you still enjoying those industrial looking DROID XYBOARD tablets, get ready for a nice update full of new features. Google Now, gesture typing, a better camera and more is all headed your way. Eventually.

VIA: AndroidPolice

Google Street View heads to the exotic Battleship Island

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:41 PM PDT

Google Maps and their Street View has been in the news a bit lately, and today we’re getting a look at one more exotic location. From the Galapagos Islands and beyond, now they’re going to remote locations unavailable to the general public. Hashima Island, commonly called Gunkanjima, which was also the setting in James Bond’s Skyfall is in the Google Street View Trekker’s eye this week.

Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 2.26.55 PM

Google announced yesterday that they’ll be offering the Trekker program to 3rd party groups, instead of just those Googlers, and that started with the Islands of Hawaii. We’re starting to see a trend here, with Google showing us beautiful locations many of us will never get to enjoy ourselves. And for that, we thank them.

Today they posted a neat video (below) of Hashima, an Island that housed coal miners and industrail workers, but was abandoned back in the 1970′s. Since then it’s been deserted and only opened to the public in 2009. Most areas are still completely off-limits, yet Google was able to get behind the ropes and see it all. Which means we get to see it all.

Not only is Battleship Island a huge tourist attraction, but the ever evolving state of the land due to ocean winds and water it will never be the same. Even though it’s completely abandoned by civilization. For Google to get access to nearly every safe part of the Island, and capture these stunning images, it will be preserved digitally forever.

I don’t know about you guys, but all of these Street View videos just makes me want to take a vacation somewhere tropical. Find out more at the link below.

SOURCE: Google Blog

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active Review

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:04 PM PDT

Samsung originally announced the Galaxy S4 Active in early June. Since that point we have seen the handset shown off during the Samsung Premiere event which took place a few days earlier. We managed to spend a few minutes of hands-on time with the handset during that event, however that was just the start of our experience with the Active. We received an AT&T branded Galaxy S4 a short while back and as such we have been able to spend a bit more time playing around — and yes, that includes testing the device in water.

s4-active-water-01

Hardware

The Galaxy S4 Active is sporting a 5-inch Full HD display along with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. One important item to point out here, while the S4 Active is waterproof and dustproof — it is not touted as being a fully rugged handset. Assuming that is ok with the person making the purchase, some of the other specs will include a quad-core 1.9GHz processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a memory card slot with support for cards up to 64GB in size.

s4-active-water-13

The S4 Active measures in at 139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1mm and weighs in at 151 grams. AT&T has the handset available in Urban Gray and Dive Blue. As you can see from the images here, we had a blue model. Aside from the bit about the Active being waterproof and dustproof, the exterior look and color is the major difference when comparing the handset with the regular S4.

Anyway, given a big selling point for this handset is the bit about it being somewhat friendly with water, we spent some time dunking and playing. You can get a hands-on look at how the handset performed in water in the video sitting above. And then for those looking for a bit more water fun, there is a small gallery of water images sitting below.

s4-active-water-02 s4-active-water-05 s4-active-water-06 s4-active-water-07 s4-active-water-14 s4-active-water-15

Software

The Galaxy S4 Active is running Android 4.2.2 and as one would expect with a Samsung handset, there is also the TouchWiz user interface on top. The experience here is very similar to the regular Galaxy S4 and as this is an AT&T handset — you can expect to see a wide variety of branded apps. We didn’t count the total, but suffice to say there are plenty.

This is an annoyance, however there is the option to hide apps you know will not be used. You can hide apps by tapping the app drawer icon and then hitting the menu button. From here just choose the ‘hide applications’ option and get to hiding. Sure, this will not free up any storage space, but at least you will not have to scan through unwanted apps on a regular basis.

s4-active-screen-apps-01 s4-active-screen-apps-02 s4-active-screen-apps-03 s4-active-screen-apps-04 s4-active-screen-shade-01 s4-active-screen-shade-02

Otherwise, Samsung’s S-Voice and Google Now are both available. There is also a wide variety of S-branded features from Samsung. Some of these include Smart Scroll and Smart Pause along with others such as S Beam, Air Gesture and Air View. And as a perk, most of the key items that you will want to turn off and/or on can be found from the drop down shade. This shade can be adjusted, however by default there are 20 options available which includes the basics such as Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and Airplane Mode.

Perhaps key though, thanks to the Snapdragon 600 processor and the 2GB of RAM — the Galaxy S4 Active ran smooth and fast. Of course, we were also happy to see the handset launch with Jelly Bean version 4.2.2. Bottom line on the software, while overall happy with the performance, the Galaxy S4 Active is what we expected to see given the mix of Samsung and AT&T.

Benchmarks

Given our results with the regular Galaxy S4 we sort of knew what we would find going in with benchmarks. In the case of the S4 Active we ran tests using Quadrant and AnTuTu which returned a 12300 and 16506 respectively. For those wondering, our Galaxy S4 testing showed results of 12593 and 17320 for Quadrant and AnTuTu respectively. You can get a look at where the Galaxy S4 Active stands in comparison to some other phones in the image sitting below. Also worth noting, the Galaxy S4 Active is sporing a quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor with 2GB of RAM.

s4-active-benchmarks

Camera

Another notable difference as compared to the regular Galaxy S4 is the camera. Not so much in the ability to take a picture, but the Galaxy S4 Active has an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera as opposed to the 13 megapixel rear-facing camera on the regular model. You will also find a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Having been fans of the camera on the Galaxy S III though, we moved in with high hopes.

In general we were pleased with what the S4 Active offers in terms of the camera. Auto mode is where we spent most of our time and while the images we captured wet really nice for a smartphone, as we often see, the quality is dependent on location, lighting and a number of other factors. Basically, the Galaxy S4 Active was capable of producing good images, but it is certainly not going to replace our regular camera.

s4-active-screen-aqua-03 s4-active-screen-aqua-02 s4-active-screen-aqua-01

Otherwise, in addition to the Auto mode, Samsung also has the others such as Best photo, Best Face, Continuous Shot, Sound and Shot, Eraser and of course, the Aqua mode. The Aqua mode is the key addition on the Galaxy S4 Active and allows the user to easily capture images while underwater. Basically, what the Aqua mode does is allow you to snap a picture using the volume rocker — because the regular camera shutter button on the touchscreen will not register while in the water. A few sample images from the camera can be seen below.

20130627_173603 20130628_165336 20130628_165425 20130628_165453 20130628_165552 20130628_165719

Battery Life

The Galaxy S4 Active has a 2600 mAh battery, just like the regular non-waterpoof model. Battery life is not always easy to judge given use cases can vary widely from person to person. What we can say is that while this isn’t the 3100 mAh battery of the Galaxy Note II, it has been enough to get us through the day with little worry. As usual, the screen was a major battery drain, but for us another item we saw moving towards the top of the offender list was always on chat apps — in our case Hangouts. But again, we were able to get through the day with little worry.

s4-active-battery

Waterproof

As we mentioned, the Galaxy S4 Active is both waterproof and dustproof. The nice part here, while the handset is waterproof, it doesn’t have the bulky look that is often associated with waterproof handsets. In fact, we surprised a few friends when we dunked the handset in water with little warning. More to the point here, the Galaxy S4 Active is just a tiny bit thicker as compared to the regular Galaxy S4. The weight is also slightly more, but just like the thickness, it is probably nothing that would be noticed by anyone that was simply holding both phones.

s4-active-water-09

While the handset doesn’t have the regular waterproof looks, there are some items that come into play here. The most obvious on the outside is the cover over the USB port. This is one you will want to make sure is securely closed. The other item is not quite as obvious and in fact, you need to remove the back battery cover to see it. As you can see in the gallery below, there is a rubber seal under the battery cover. This should also go without saying, but you will want to make sure the battery cover is securely in place before submerging the handset.

s4-active-15 s4-active-16 s4-active-17

Wrap-Up

What can we say here, we liked the regular Galaxy S4 and we have also enjoyed the time we spent with the Active. In our wrap up for the regular Galaxy S4 we mentioned how Samsung had a winner with the handset, and well, that seems to carry over just the same for the Active. The one drawback here is that unlike the widespread carrier availability with the regular Galaxy S4, the Active is only available in the US with AT&T.

That bit alone will likely cause some to completely ignore the handset, however we can say this — if you are an AT&T user and happen to be looking for a phone that is not bothered by some water, the Galaxy S4 Active should be one to consider. But while the handset is capable of being submerged in water, we have to think that the real perk here comes for those times when you are not expecting water.

You have the age old prank of being pushed into a pool, but there is the more real-world experience of simply being caught out in a sudden downpour. This may not be as big of an issue for everyone, but this particular guy happens to be living in Florida and given it is summer — we have frequent heavy rain to contend with. Otherwise, while this isn’t as much of a concern for me personally, we cannot tell you how often we hear complaints of a smartphone ending up in the toilet.

Bottom line here, as someone who spends more than a fair amount of time outside, on foot or bike and often miles from home — the Active is the Galaxy S4 model that I would choose if I were to be making a purchase. With that, we leave you with one more gallery of images sitting below.

s4-active-01 s4-active-02 s4-active-03 s4-active-07 s4-active-08 s4-active-09 s4-active-12 s4-active-13 s4-active-14

Facebook hashtags rolling out to mobile, no word on Android app

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 01:08 PM PDT

A few weeks ago the folks from Facebook made a big move to finally add the popular hashtag option to their social network. Made popular (and extremely useful) by Twitter, we now finally have clickable #hashtags on Facebook. While the inclusion was nice, we still weren’t able to enjoy the feature on mobile. With millions of users enjoying Facebook on mobile daily, this only made sense, and as of Thursday the feature is rolling out to all devices.

facebook-hashtag

According to a Facebook spokeswoman clickable hashtags began rolling out to mobile devices on Thursday, although sadly they only work on the mobile web-based m.facebook.com. This means that for those hoping to be able to click on hashtags with the Android or iOS app, you’ll have to wait. This is only for the web-based users.

With hashtags being such a simple and extremely used feature on Twitter, and available across virtually every Twitter app for Android, we’re not sure what the hold up is. However, for some reason or another they’re holding out, but we can expect an update here sometime shortly. Below you can see them already working on a mobile browser.

Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 1.03.21 PM

For those who don’t know what hashtags are (like my parents) it’s a word or string of words that follow a pound symbol. Like #NFL or #NBAFinals, and are a clickable link. Which makes following and finding any #NBAFinals news or posts extremely quick and easy. It’s the quickest way to search for a subject you want the absolute latest mention or news for.

PCMag states this started rolling out Thursday, and hopefully we see this in their mobile apps in the very near future. Google+ and Twitter have enjoyed it for as long as we can remember.

VIA: PCMag

Google+ turns 2, looking all grown up

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 11:52 AM PDT

Even though it feels like just last month that Google+ launched, today it turned two years old. It’s hard to believe, we know, but the social network is starting to look all grown up. Two years ago we met Google’s second attempt at a social network, and it has continued to increase in popularity, features, and additions to what we see and enjoy today.

Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 11.45.35 AM

Google’s own Vic Gundotra shared the news this morning on Google+ itself, and had a few kind words to say about its progress, and the future of the social network. I know I had my doubts at first, and at times it still feels like a network full of Android enthusiasts only. Things are looking up, and Google is rapidly adding features, integrating YouTube, and the Play Store among other things.

The folks from Google have been extremely busy with the social network, and just at Google I/O announced over 41 new features. Things like a vastly improved photo experience, and they’ve recently added cross-device sync to Android.

Screen Shot 2013-06-28 at 11.44.12 AM

The same way we can sign in and get social with Facebook and Twitter through apps, is now available for Google+, and all these changes are only the beginning. According to Vic G+ is still in its infancy, and they have tons planned. Only taking a very quick break today to celebrate two successful years, then they’ll get back to their efforts.

Between adding Google Hangouts for an awesome chat experience on all devices, improving the image and photography experience, bringing games and communities and more, things are only looking up. Vic closes his small comment by saying, “So let’s keep building something to love. Together.” As of today, Google+ is the second social network behind Facebook, and recently passed Twitter, so keep on rocking.

And with that. Happy Birthday Google+! Facebook is in your sights, keep up the good work! Oh and don’t forget to circle your favorite Android site (us, of course) at +AndroidCommunity.

SOURCE: Google+

Android Authority

Android Authority


Rumor: Galaxy Note 3 to feature 5.99-inch Super AMOLED flexible display

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:09 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy

A South Korean report says that the next-gen Galaxy Note handset would pack a 5.99-inch Super AMOLED flexible display, contradicting various existing rumors regarding the upcoming Galaxy Note 3.

Just recently, we heard that the handset may feature a 5.7-inch display instead of the 5.99-inch panel we've seen in the vast majority of Galaxy Note 3 rumors. A different report said the phone could use both AMOLED and LCD displays, depending on markets, while more distant rumors claimed that Samsung is not yet ready to use flexible displays in devices like the Galaxy Note 3, despite having considered the option.

Now, MT Media says that the Galaxy Note 3 featuring a flexible display will enter production in August and launch in September. We'll point out that this is just a rumor at this point, which can't be confirmed, so don't get too excited about it just yet.

The publication lists a couple of reasons for Samsung's decision to use a flexible display in the Galaxy Note 3 including the poorer than expected Galaxy S4 sales but also the threat from LG, which is said to have its own smartphone with a flexible display in the works. That’s something we heard before, directly from LG.

If that's not enough, we'll add that companies including Sony and HTC will have their own Galaxy Note 3 rivals in stores this year, the already announced Xperia Z Ultra and the rumored HTC One Max (T6), respectively, which appear to be two formidable adversaries for the new Samsung flagship.

The Korean publication also says that Samsung is apparently interested in showing the world it can still innovate with such a product. Should it indeed launch the Galaxy Note 3 with a flexible display, it could become the first smartphone maker to have a flexible display smartphone in stores.

Assuming the details provided by the publication are accurate, we can only wonder whether Samsung is in a position to mass produce enough such display for a device that will surely stir plenty of interest in the coming months. We’ll be back with more details about the Galaxy Note 3 as soon as they’re available.

Thanks, Andrea!

    


Android Authority On Air – Episode 70 – Google Play Store Edition devices

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:00 PM PDT

Android Authority on Air

This week on Android Authority On Air the hot topic was Google Play Edition devices. The Android community seems to be split down the middle on this one. Is the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition all that it’s cracked up to be? Let us know what you think. Continuing on with ecosystem news, this week Motorola started sportin’ a new logo. Google is finally ready to tell the world that Motorola is ‘a Google company’ as their new logo reveals. This is much more than a logo. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on an upcoming Android game console and a media streaming device, but much cheaper than the Nexus Q.

On to devices, Sony let the world know they are going to follow the massive device trend and release the Sony Xperia Ultra Z. For apps, Google Play Movies took on the new Android app design in all it’s glory and Google Now has been updated, adding a few new, interesting cards.

Onto Rootin’ and ROMin’, it’s basically CyanogenMod all the things this week. CM10.1 is getting a camera via quick settings feature, secure device push messaging, a privacy guard, and Exynos 4 devices are once again getting a little more AOSP love.

And in patent news, a judge denied Apple’s request to add the Galaxy S4 to their 2014 Patent trial. Judge Grewal determined that allowing Apple to add the GS4 to the list would not only further tax the court's resources, but it also went against Judge Koh's previous orders.

And last, but not least, somewhere hidden in our hour long show, you’ll find 1 more chance to win the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 that we’re giving away. Better hurry, only a few hours left.

Soundcloud coming soon.

 

 

    


Sony XTRUD concept Android smartphone would let users perform hardware upgrades

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 05:19 PM PDT

Sony XTRUD concept

A designer proposes an out-of-the-box Android smartphone design, which would let the user easily upgrade various internal components, replace broken parts, but also personalize the overall appearance of the hadnset.

The Sony XTRUD, imagined by designer Francois Rybarczyk, is the device in question, one that would certainly be appreciated by those Android handset buyers that would love to take tinkering with their smartphone to the next level.

What Rybarczyk offers us is a concept sort of similar to what early Moto X phone rumors suggested, that the handset will have user customizable hardware. But the XTRUD would continue to be upgraded once new components are available.

The Sony XTRUD would let users actually perform their own upgrades as time passes by, in order for their device to stay relevant in terms of hardware, but also in terms of software – after all, having the latest hardware ensures that an "old device" would still be updated to the latest Android version.

Users would also be able to change the color of their XTRUD handset, although they'd be stuck with the same overall phone design for years – assuming that's not a problem for most people.

The XTRUD would feature an easily accessible modular system that would let users swap old displays, batteries, cameras and maybe even mainboards to newer versions, without spending a lot of cash on a new smartphone purchase. The device would be made of aluminum or plastic and would feature a thin profile.

Rybarczyk imagines a starting price for the handset at $199 – presumably without a contract – although I'm sure that neither OEMs nor carriers would be interested in selling such devices to customers, because they'd lose out on a lot of smartphone sales each year even though they could end up selling plenty of components.

Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept Sony XTRUD concept

That said, the concept handset does look interesting– and we'll add that it does remind us of certain Nokia design lines when looking at it, even though Sony is the targeted company here. We're certainly hoping some OEMs are paying attention; after all, who knows what the future may hold in terms of smartphone design?

    


32GB Verizon Galaxy S4 to sell for $299.99 on-contract starting with June 29

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 04:38 PM PDT

galaxy-s4-color-comparison-1-aa

Verizon on Friday officially announced that starting with June 29 it's going to sell a 32GB version of the Galaxy S4 for $299.99 with new two-year contracts.

So far, AT&T was the only mobile operator to offer Samsung's flagship handset in a higher capacity, with the carrier pricing its own 32GB version of the smartphone at $249.99 with new two-year contracts.

Verizon's offer is $50 more expensive, but customers that don't want to leave the carrier may still be interested in the device, considering the added storage it has to offer.

The 64GB Galaxy S4 model is yet to show up in carrier stores, but we'll remind you that all smartphone version come with microSD card support for up to 64GB of additional memory.

That said, you should know that Verizon will start shipping the 32GB Galaxy S4 version on July 3, so there's some waiting to be done before you get your hands on this particular model.

In case off-contract handset purchases sound better to you, we'll also going to remind you that the Verizon Galaxy S4 Developer Edition is available directly from Samsung.com for $649.99 – sadly, it's the 16GB version.

    


Google wants to increase its share of Play Store Android app revenue, new report says

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 04:06 PM PDT

Google Play

A new report says that Google is interested in making more money from Play Store Android app sales, with the company currently negotiating its deals with carriers in certain markets.

Before developers get alarmed, we'll tell you that Google is said to be interested in renegotiating its agreements with mobile operators alone, which means devs will still get 70% from every app sale.

The carriers

Business Insider says that Google is talking to South Korean carriers to increase Play Store revenue in the region – and possibly with other operators in other markets – at least according to Macquarie analysts Eugene Jung and Ben Schachter.

Apparently the current revenue scheme for app sales works like this: 70% of every sale goes to the developer, 25% goes to the carrier, and 5% goes to Google. The new deal would cut the carrier's share to 15%, which is what Google would also get.

According to Schachter, based on data from app analysis company Distimo, the Google Play Store generated around $350 million in revenue in May alone, of which Google got $17.5 million, at 5% (that's revenue, not profits). With a revenue share increase to 15%, that number would have been $52.5 million.

Schachter believes that Google could generate $500 million in Play Store profits in 2014.

Naturally, this is just speculation at this point, and it's hardly likely that Google or the carriers will spill the beans on such financial details.

Hugo Barra

Since we’re talking about mobile operators, we’ll ask the obvious question: should carriers make money from Play Store Android app sales? That's certainly a complex discussion, considering that carriers already make a lot of cash from voice and data services that come with smartphones and some tablets. Not to mention that Android is free of charge and customizable to such an extent that carriers get to lay down plenty of conditions when ordering new devices – which explains the bloatware on-contract handsets come packed with. On the other hand, carriers can always argue that they provide the access Google needs to Android users that get to download and use paid apps.

Google's Play Store reports

Unfortunately, Play Store app-related financial details are not exactly transparent, in order for us to really understad what’s going on with this particular side of the Android business.

We'll note that the company has never shared actual financial details about app sales. At I/O 2013, Google's Hugo Barra said during the keynote that the Play Store has reached 48 billion app installs – later reports estimated that the store would surpass Apple's App Store by October when it comes to downloads – and that 2.5 billion app installs have been registered in the month preceding the developers conference (I/O 2013 took place in mid-May).

Barra also said that, in the last four months (at the time of the event) – so we'll assume that it's the January–April period – the company paid more money to developers than in 2012. He also revealed that "revenue per user is 2.5 times what it was a year ago, globally."

These are very interesting numbers, but Google did not actually reveal any actual figures concerning revenue generated by the Play Store. How much money have been paid to Android developers to date? That’s still a mystery.

WWDC 2013 - App Store revenue

Apple's numbers

Naturally, we'll compare Google's Play Store financial reports with Apple's App Store reports, because that's (still) the main fight in the mobile ecosystem. Here's what the iPhone maker said during its latest WWDC event (which took place in mid-June) regarding App Store revenue and profits:

  • $10 billion paid to developers since the App Store was launched
  • $5 billion paid to developers in 2012 or "three times more than all other platforms combined"
  • app download revenue by platform is at 74% for iOS, 20% for Android and 6% for others, according to a graph presented by the company (image above)

Apple's share for App Store app sales is also 30%, and it's not clear whether the company shares any of that revenue with carriers – we'd say it doesn't, since the company has been portrayed to dictate terms to mobile operators and not the other way around.

Google's mobile money

Google is indirectly making lots of money from the mobile business generated from ads shown in its web services. At one time, Google was said to have a run rate of over $8 billion from the mobile business, including Play Store earnings.

Interestingly, various reports said in the past that Apple devices are responsible for a lot of the mobile cash heading to Google each quarter – and that Apple is getting a share of that.

But since Android is available free of charge to OEMs, the company doesn't really make money directly from device sales and has to find other ways of monetizing its own OS.

The company does sell its own Nexus devices – many of them at cost, but only in certain markets – and offers users access to other content including movies, music, books and magazines in addition to apps, at least in certain countries.

Nexus

In fact, Microsoft is also said to make plenty of cash off of Android given its various licensing deals with many Android device makers – at one point Microsoft was said to make more money from Android device sales than Google itself.

Wrap up

With all that in mind, we certainly shouldn't be surprised to hear that Google would like to make more money from Android – the company is rumored to be interested in creating more hardware of its own, and to make Android available to other devices than just smartphones and tablets. After all, Android is business for Google and it should be profitable – there’s nothing wrong with such a line of thinking.

But then again, analysts like the ones quoted by Business Insider could always be wrong regarding the state of the Play Store financials and Google’s immediate related interests. What seems to be certain though is that Google's Play Store revenues aren't yet at the level the company wants them to be, considering that Google is not yet ready to mention actual numbers like Apple does. And that obviously means that Google would definitely like to see Play Store Android app sales increase, so it can pay more money to developers, so it can attract more devs and users to Android, and ultimately, so it makes more money itself.

How much are you spending on Android apps?

    


BlueStacks announces the GamePop Mini, a free Android game console

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 03:04 PM PDT

Gamepop Mini

The Android "micro-console" market might be new, but it's already starting to get crowded. Not only do we have the Ouya, there are also plenty of upcoming devices like the Gamestick, MadCatz M.O.J.O and even possibly a Google console.

Then there's the Bluestacks GamePop, an Android game console with a twist – you get as many apps as you can handle just by paying a monthly fee. It seems that BlueStacks isn’t content with just one model however, as the company has now announced that there will also be an even cheaper system, the so-called GamePop Mini.

So what's different about this 'mini' variant? While an early pre-order deal gave customers a chance to get the GamePop free by pre-paying for a year's worth of subscription service (around $84), the main console actually will retail for around $129. In contrast, the GamePop Mini will be "free forever".

The catch is that you will have to sign a contract for 12-months of service at a price of $6.99 a month. Under the contract, if you stick through all twelve months you can then cancel at any time and still keep the GamePop Mini hardware.

For those that find that the GamePop Mini isn’t all it was cracked up to be, they can cancel at any time during the 12-month period and all they will be required to do is send back the console and pay a $25 restocking fee.

Key differences between the GamePop and GamePop Mini

Wondering how the devices will compare? BlueStacks says that both versions will run Jelly Bean 4.2 and connect via HDMI, they will also access to the same game library, which will consist of hundreds of titles from major mobile developers such as HalfBrick, Intellijoy and Glu.

The key difference between the two models is that the GamePop Mini is more compact in design and won't have as beefy of hardware. There also may end up being more peripherals for GamePop that won't necessarily work with the Mini.

On the positive side, BlueStacks says that the Mini will still be "able to handle all of your favorite apps and games plenty well".

This is certainly a different approach than what we are seeing from the competition. The question is whether customers will go for the BlueStack Mini's subscription model or not. What do you think, could you see yourself picking one of these up?

    


Gmail gets a new update, returns quick-access delete button

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 01:19 PM PDT

Google Drive

Earlier this month Google pushed out a major update to Gmail, bringing with it several design changes. While most of these changes were well received, some users didn’t take kindly to the disappearance of the delete button in the quick-access bar.

To be fair, the button never really went away. By default it was turned off from the quick access bar, but you could always bring it back from within the settings. The problem was that many folks either didn’t know this, or simply felt it was a foolish move to have made the change in the first place.

If you were one of those users that felt removing the delete but was a bad move on Google's part, you'll be happy to know that the delete button has returned to the quick-access bar by default in the latest version of Gmail. The update also brings the ability to tap on sender images to select multiple messages from within the conversation view.

Anything else? Not really, other than the changelog does make mention of unnamed "bug fixes".This new update might not be anything revolutionary, but at least its nice to see that the Gmail team is paying attention to user feedback.

To grab the update for yourself, head over to Google Play now.

    


T-Mobile press event set for July 10, invitations tease its “boldest moves yet”

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 12:14 PM PDT

T-Mobile Logo Credit: StockMonkeys

T-Mobile has just begun sending out invites to its press event in New York City on July 10. As per the norm, these invites don’t offer much detail as to what we can expect, but T-Mobile has peaked our interest saying this would be there “boldest moves yet.”

t-mobile press event

There isn’t much to go off of here, but we can speculate a bit. The Sony Xperia Z is set to launch on T-Mobile come July 17, so perhaps this is just a formal unveiling. However, the wording on the invitation says “moves” not “move”, implying that the mobile operator has multiple things to announce.

We don’t know what they’re going to be unveiling exactly, but claiming that this is their “boldest moves yet”, implies that we’re going to see something big from T-Mobile in New York City. Perhaps it’s related to the recent wireless spectrum T-Mobile purchased from U.S. Cellular. Maybe we’ll hear about the LTE-Advanced features T-Mobile promised to launch in 2013. It’s also quite possible that we’ll just hear about a more wider LTE roll out. After all, T-Mobile hasn’t launched a whole lot of LTE markets since it unveiled its uncarrier strategy. There’s been a few, just not as much as we hoped.

Whatever it is, be sure to keep your browsers locked on Android Authority, as we’ll have all the great news from T-Mobile come July 10.

    


The five reasons why Android is killing Apple

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 12:02 PM PDT

Apple

Despite Apple's best attempts to rejuvenate its stale software, and for all it's glitz and glamour, I don’t believe that iOS 7 will change the current balance of power. My reasoning: because it fails to address key issues which separate Apple and Android.

I know some people will argue that Apple isn't interested in the same markets as Android, and that it's not the company’s goal to try and please everyone, which is fair enough. But my rebuttal is that the technology industry is brutal; it's survival of the fittest, and those who don't adapt will fall by the wayside.

So, in no particular order, here are my top five reasons for Android's success over Apple:

1 – Hardware diversity

Perhaps the most obvious reason for Android’s more recent dominance in the mobile market is because the operating system is simply available to a larger number of people. Apple's relatively high price point for its products keeps them out of reach of many consumers, especially when it comes to emerging markets. Whilst Apple is maintaining a strong market share in some of the world's top economies, the US, Japan, Europe, etc, it's lagging significantly behind other manufactures in other markets.

Android, on the other hand, has a range of manufacturers producing a range of products. Without a central company dictating when new top of the line phones are released, Samsung, HTC, Sony, etc, are available to offer the very highest spec products as soon as new technologies become available, offering the best top of the line devices to consumers. We've seen over the course of just three months, faster and more powerful smartphones than ever before, whilst Apple is still stuck on last generation hardware technologies.

htc one vs nokia lumia 928 aa one performance

The HTC One, for example, offers much better hardware than Apple’s iPhone 5. Android handsets are constantly evolving, offering consumers the best hardware on the market.

At the other end of the spectrum, the same companies are free to design smartphones and tablets which meet more budget price ranges, whilst still providing consumers with a decent smartphone experience thanks to the Android OS. This is proving to be a particularly strong business idea in emerging markets.

Now, whilst Apple may not be interested in lowering its price to meet the needs of these markets right now, today's emerging markets are tomorrow's wealthy economies. By ignoring consumers at this early stage, Apple risks facing an uphill battle against a more established brand, Android for example, if it decides to try and sell products in these markets in the future.

But it's not just a problem with the price; Apple's product line-up is also extremely limited for even high-end purchasers. Currently you're stuck with a choice of just one size and spec of phone, which whilst easy for Apple to maintain, means that consumers can't opt for a larger screen size, additional storage, or whatever other features they might prefer to have attached to their handset or tablet.

Samsung devices size infographic

Just look at all that choice, and this is just from one Android manufacturer.

Take the Galaxy Note series of smartphones for example, they've proved to be extremely popular as they offer customers a unique experience which can't be had with traditional 5 inch or smaller smartphones. Sony and HTC, amongst other companies, are eager to catch-up in the market space, but Apple's stubbornness to keep its product portfolio small is restricting its ability to meet real consumer demand.

Similarly, smaller tablets are another prime example of Apple's inflexibility. I'm sure we all remember Apple dismissing 7 inch tablets as too small to be useful, and then laughed wholeheartedly when the company announced the iPad Mini. Apple's problem is that is seems to think that it can best dictate what consumers want, whereas Android lets the market decide, and recently this approach has worked very well in Android's favour.

2 – Competition and innovation

But it's not just a battle between Google and Apple, each manufacturer utilizing the Android operating system is in direct competition with everyone else, which had led to a much faster pace in innovation. There's a distinct advantage in offering consumers something which they can't get anywhere else — look at the recent top of the line Samsung and HTC products, the Galaxy S4 and the One, for example.

Now whilst you might love or hate TouchWiz or Sense, there's no denying that both of the company's have invested a lot of resources in improving their own handsets above and beyond the basic Android experience, in order to stand out above the competition. Consider the massive range of additional software piled in with the Galaxy S4: exercise tracking software, better multitasking functionality, and additional camera settings, amongst plenty of other things. HTC, on the other hand, has invested heavily in its BoomSound system, Sense 5, and BlinkFeed, which offers consumers a different experience to Samsung’s.

banner-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one-display

Android lets you chose from the best of the best, pick from the features which matter most to you. Apple’s one size fits all policy stifles innovation.

But this doesn't just apply to software; the HTC One aimed to provide a top quality audio experience above that of Samsung's, whereas Samsung attempted to win over some consumers with the faster Exynos 5 Octa processor. Similarly, Sony's Xperia Z boasts extra features such as waterproofing and improved scratch resistance, something which Samsung has since copied with the Galaxy S4 Active after identifying that it was a great idea that consumers wanted.

Furthermore, the next line-up of smartphones are already gearing up to take advantage of faster processing technologies, like the Snapdragon 800, in order to place themselves ahead of the current crop of smartphones, which is possibly why we've been hearing rumors of a beefed up Galaxy S4 as well. It's a constant battle to offer the best products, which is a massive win for consumers.

This level of internal competition doesn't exist with Apple products, and it shows when you look at the much slower rate of progress taking place with the iPhone.

3 – Open source, free market system

You've probably noticed that a lot of Android's strength stem from its open nature, which allows third parties to do what they want with the platform in order to offer consumers products which they would like to use. This has seen Android leap ahead of iOS in recent years, and has helped the platform capture larger and larger shares of the smartphone and tablet markets, but it's also spun off a range of entirely new products.

Android has already broken into the gaming space, in a way which Apple hasn't even started to think about, thanks to Kickstarter projects like Gamestick and OUYA, and even projects funded by big companies like Nvidia. Nvidia Shield is an excellent example of a company utilizing Android in a fairly unique way, offering a handheld gaming platform with all the functionality of a full operating system. Apple certainly isn't doing any of this, which again is going to introduce more and more consumers to the Android ecosystem whilst Apple remains stuck with its current clientele.

tv dongle round up

No Apple products here…

There have also been a whole range of other Android powered products which have appeared thanks to innovative third party companies. Plenty of manufacturers are now offering mini Android PCs, often in the form of a USB stick sized device, which bring computing into your living room for around $50 or less. There's a range of Android TV products as well, which give users access to a range of media options in the living room.

We haven't even talked about software yet, but now's a good a time as any. Of course, Apple fans will likely say that the Google Play Store is full of rubbish apps and that the App Store takes in a lot more money, which is true, to some extent at least anyway. But firstly, the amount of money the store makes isn't necessarily in the best interest of consumers. Android has plenty of cheap or free apps which are great, so the money issue is just a silly one.

As far as app quality goes, it's certainly true that there are some poor quality apps on the Play Store, but it doesn't usually take long for these to be exposed and weeded out. The rating system certainly does its job, and most of the regularly downloaded apps in the Google Store are as good as anything found in Apple's store. In fact, the ease in which apps and software can be uploaded to the Play Store is one of Android's strengths, as it allows developers to easily and quickly respond to consumer demand, rather than having to wait eons for authorisation from Apple.

4 – Strong developer community

This brings us neatly onto the next point, a strong and ever growing developer community.

We all know that there are a variety of custom ROMs for a start, each offering unique features, porting the default Android experience to handset which would otherwise go without, and some aiming to improve system performance. ROMs like CyanogenMod have proven hugely popular because of their punctual updates for handsets which otherwise would go without the latest versions of Android, and others like Paranoid Android are intent on innovating on the default Android experience.

android custom roms

Take your pick. If you don’t like your current version of Android, there are plenty of other custom ROMs available to suit your needs.

Some community driven developments, like notification features for example, have even gone on to be incorporated into official versions of Android. With more minds working on the same problem, you're far more likely to achieve superior results than deciding everything with a select group of individuals behind closed doors.

Another example is the custom MIUI ROM, which has proven so popular that handsets pre-installed with the ROM sold out almost as soon as they were announced. Thousands of consumers with products that they want spawned from a third party developer, bringing even more consumers into the Android fold without Google having to lift a finger.

Android attracts innovation from both hardware and software developers

But it's not just customs ROMs which are helping to drive Android's popularity. We’ve already discussed the wide range of apps available, but developers are also more than happy to work on free projects to address the needs of certain parts of the Android community.

Samsung users will probably remember the Exynos processor root exploit which was plaguing various Galaxy handsets a few months back. The problem was initially addressed and patched by members of the development community well before Samsung put out their own updates. Whilst this issue isn't particularly a selling point for Android itself, having a development community which can access the platform so easily has a huge number of benefits above Apple's closed platform.

Similarly, look at the new privacy tools in development by the creator of CyanogenMod. In the light of the recent NSA data collecting scandal he saw a need for greater privacy and was able to immediately begin working on addressing people’s concerns, without having to wait for an official update, if one would ever come. I love that community members can so easily be creative with the platform, and whilst it certainly won't be a major selling point for everyone, developers are what keep the platform moving forwards, it's another huge benefit to innovation for Android compared with iOS.

But the developer community doesn't just benefit those who are looking to mess about with the serious stuff under the hood, there are a vast variety of more simply tweaks which most users can take advantage of. Themes are an excellent example of user created content which is easily installed on most Android devices, there are thousands of custom icon packs too, and a plethora of different launchers which help users tweak their Android experience to exactly how they like it. Android works great out of the box, but unlike Apple, Google allows us to tinker away in whatever manner we see fit, to tailor the experience to exactly what we want, and that's a big selling point for a lot of consumers.

5 – The Google ethos

Many of the reasons Android is doing so well listed above don't really have anything to do with Google, but that isn't to say that the company isn't pulling its weight. Google has created a range of free applications which improve the users experience over the default operating system, and it's constantly trying out new ideas and scrapping old ones which don't work.

Google's commitment to big data also gives the company a large edge over its competitors. Over the past decade Google has undertaken a huge number of projects aimed at giving users better access to the huge amounts of information stored on the web, ranging from obvious applications like Maps, to optimizations and improvements with its search engine. Google Now is an excellent example of Google's innovation in this space, pulling information from a much larger set of data specifically for a user when they need it.

Google Products

Need something done? Google has you covered.

I suppose that this can best be summed up by Google's willingness to experiment with various aspects of its ecosystem. Google Glass is a prime example of an idea which could well flop, but even so, the company is willing to invest time and money to see if it works. It's this approach which has given the company a massive edge over its competitors, like Apple and Microsoft, when it comes to being on the cutting edge of web technologies. Android, as one of Google's main projects, reaps the benefits of the company's experimentation and innovation.

Looking at the situation in reverse, it's hard to pinpoint anything interesting or experimental that Apple has done in recent years. The company is totally starved for unique projects by comparison, and does nothing to encourage or inspire third party development of its platform either. This can be seen in Apple's recently rather uninspired unveiling of iOS 7, which in many ways is simply playing catch-up to Android.

To be fair, iOS 7 certainly has its good points but it's simply not as a creative or innovative platform as Android, for all of the reasons mentioned above. Android attracts innovation from both hardware and software developers, which, in my opinion, is the main reason why our favourite mobile operating system is killing Apple.

    


The Google Play Edition program is everything we ever wanted. Or is it?

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 11:23 AM PDT

The-Friday-Debate aa Evan Forester

“I just wish it ran stock Android…” These words were uttered countless times, probably enough to make Google, Samsung, and HTC sit down and find a way to make it happen. And this week it happened. Two amazing devices running unadulterated Android went on sale, and, predictably, they got everyone talking .

But the arrival of the Google Play Editions of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One wasn’t without controversy. The fact that Google will not be handling the updates, the distinction between GPe devices and Nexus devices, and other fine points are all worth discussing.

In this week’s Friday Debate, we talk about the Google Play Edition, and what they mean for the world of Android. Join us in the comments and vote in our poll!

Robert Triggs

I'm definitely a bit more so-so about the whole Google Edition idea now than I was when I first heard about it. It's great that people can now choose the default Android experience on more devices, don't get me wrong I love that idea, but I don't think that providing a few high-end Google Edition smartphones was really worth the hype that had been going around.

For a start, they are too expensive as they’re not available on contract, which is going to prevent a lot of people from picking one up. Secondly, the whole "not quite a Nexus" issue is a tad worrisome too, Samsung or HTC could simply stop providing updates if it proves too much of a hassle.

Now maybe, just maybe, this will all fall nicely into place soon. What with the new "K release" rumor hinting a support for older devices and the big manufactures all cozying up to Google, this could be the testing phase for something much bigger. Perhaps we are on the verge of a new unified Android era, with better update support from manufacturers and Google? Or perhaps that's just wishful thinking on my part.

But for now, having a selection of high end GPE handsets is nice for those who can afford them, but, for Android as a whole, they're just another choice in the quite frankly massive portfolio.

Derek Ross

Google Play edition phones are great for Android and great for consumers. Here's why.

Ever since Android phones started showing up with manufacturer user experiences, Android enthusiasts have downplayed and despised them. We've downplayed them, calling them skins, bloatware, and worse. An Android modding and customization community arose from hardware manufacturer "skins" with goals such as running software from the Android Open Source Project. For years, we've wanted to see high end phones, from the best manufacturers, running pure Android. We didn't want their own bloated interpretation. Now, in the OEM providers defense, Android wasn't always beautiful. However, Android has changed. Android is now beautiful and loaded with features. The Google Play Edition Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One are something we've been wanting for years: top end devices running stock Android. With OEM skins and custom applications gone, this should drastically improve Android update timeframes.

Sadly, hardware manufacturers aren't the only ones able to muddy Android's clear waters. Carriers play a big role here. Carriers add their own software packages to Android which further deters from Google's clear interpretation of their mobile operating system. Sadly again, that's not all carriers do. Carriers delay Android device updates. Carriers go through a long and tedious task of testing and certifying Android updates before releasing them. Google Play Edition devices completely take the carriers out of the picture. With the carriers gone, this should drastically speed up Android software updates.

Now, couldn't you buy one of these devices from your carrier, unlock the bootloader, and run a custom ROM on it, and achieve the same experience for more than half the price? Maybe…but not quite. Google Play Edition devices are for people that wish to run stock Android, receive timely updates, and more importantly, they just want it to work out of the box the way it was intended to work. Not everyone has the time to research how to unlock the bootloader of your phone, which in some cases voids your warranty. Not everyone has the technical knowhow to install a custom ROM. The fact of the matter is, even if everyone were able to accomplish these feats, you're still left with buggy software, waiting months for it to become stable and reliable. No one wants to show off their top end Android phone to see data connections dropped, user interface lag or have the camera force close while trying to snap a picture. We've all been there.

My last point, these devices were never marketed as Nexus devices. Google never said they were releasing a Galaxy S4 Nexus or an HTC One Nexus (Haha, but they did release an HTC Nexus One). They aren't going to get the full Nexus treatment. They aren't going to get factory images, binaries, or any of the other perks that only some people care about. These devices aren't for people that need to flash custom ROMs on a daily basis and then revert back to stock if the need arises. These aren’t developer devices like those found in the Nexus program.

Google Play Editions are great for Android because they allow users to experience Google's vision for Android. They take OEM software customization out of the mix and bypass the carriers entirely. Both of these should allow these devices to receive timely Android updates. How fast is timely? I can't answer that. But, I can tell you it will be much faster than their non-Google Play Edition counterparts. Google Play Edition devices are also great for consumers because they allow consumers to experience pure Android and allows their devices to function perfectly. The fact of the matter is, these devices have a particular market and aren't for everyone. Thankfully, Android gives us many choices.

HTC One Google Edition

Adam Koueider

The problem with the Google Play Edition smartphones is that they are products without a market. They were already targeted at a small niche, but unfortunately for Google the niche has already been filled. The people who would've bought these devices have either A) Bought a Nexus 4 and their next phone will be the Nexus 5 or B) bought the standard, subsidized versions of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One and will simply flash the stock ROM onto their devices.

There's also the fact that these are (at least for now) strictly U.S. only devices and they are being put up for a completely unsubsidized price. U.S. consumers almost always buy their smartphones subsidized from a carrier, and very few would put down $600-650 straight up for a smartphone (even if it could cost them less in the long run). And in the markets where people do buy their smartphones unsubsidized (Asia, Europe, Australia), these devices are not available. So we've got a flawed business model, but it isn't all bad.

These devices are a great base for the developer communities. No need to wait for a stable build from CyanogenMod, or for someone to fix the camera. Just go download the ROM and flash it onto your Galaxy S4 or HTC One, and voila, stock Android as easy as that.

Of course we then get to the big problem here. Since Samsung and HTC control the updates, what if HTC or Samsung decide to just drop support for their devices? Who could blame them? (well I guess I could, but that would just be mean) When they've got tens millions of other devices to support, it's easy for them to say that it's not worth supporting a few thousand devices. Hopefully this doesn't happen and people on the standard versions of the HTC One and the Galaxy S4, get quick updates to the latest version of stock Android.

What we have to realize is that this does not mean the Nexus line has ended. Nor are these products Nexus devices, they are an addition to the already wonderfully colorful world that is Android. And that's what really matters folks — choice! But seriously Samsung, I'm still waiting for the time when I hear the horrible S-Voice say "Would you like Stock Android or TouchWiz with your fire breathing smartphone, sir?"

Nate Swanner

We got exactly what we asked for.

I’ve already covered this in an article, but it’s a great topic for this forum as well. It’s clear that many of us have conflicting reasoning behind our support for, or distaste of, the “Google Play Edition” devices. If we take a look at what Google has given us, this whole program is going exactly how it should.

I’ll use myself as an example. I don’t like skinned devices. Touchwiz, Sense, whatever… I just don’t like them. So, I now have something that absolves me of most carrier involvement with the UI. The program works.

Secondly, I want updates in a timely fashion. Verizon customers can attest to this more than most; carriers only complicate the fragmentation issue. So, I have a device that only needs to go through a manufacturer for an update. The program works.

Third, I don’t want a contract. I can go to the Play Store, purchase the device I want, and go prepaid. The program works.

To further hammer home +Derek Ross ‘s point, these are not Nexus devices. These are HTC and Samsung devices. A Nexus device is an RFP adjudicated by an OEM, nothing more. Google supports those devices, because they pretty much designed them. These two “Google Play Edition” phones are not that. The manufacturers aren’t providing Nexus devices, they’re providing their hardware free of their take on Android. As such, they need to support them, not Google.

That leads into pricing. These devices are fair market price for an unlocked device. If $600+ seems like too much to spend, that’s because we don’t do it. Many of us are content to lock ourselves into a contract to spend less out of pocket for a device. Many of us would be able to save a lot of money purchasing the device outright, and going prepaid. When you have a manufacturer, who really only makes money by turning a profit on a device, you get a $600 price tag.

Now we can talk about the entirety of smartphones available in the Play Store. We want an unlocked phone, for little out of pocket, the latest version of Android, and respectable hardware. We already had that in the Nexus 4. Like it or not, for what we were asking of Google, they had already provided it.
Get with the program.

Are you satisfied with the Google Play Edition program?

Join us in the comments and vote in our poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
    


How might Google’s rumored game system affect Android and traditional gaming?

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 10:45 AM PDT

Google logo aa

If a new report from the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, Google is gearing up to launch several new hardware products in an attempt to one-up the competition and further spread its reach into new categories. One of these devices is allegedly an Android-powered game console.

With companies like Ouya, MadCatz and Nvidia already pioneering this new frontier – there are clearly folks interested in the idea of a low-cost console that somehow bridges the world of mobile and traditional gaming.

If Google really is getting involved here, what would such a console be like, and how would it potentially affect the future of mobile and traditional gaming? Would there be enough room for other Android micro-console players if Google jumps in?

Until we get an actual look at Google's game console (if it even exists), these questions are going to remain unanswered, but that doesn’t mean we can't speculate a little.

What a Google game console might be like

According to WSJ, the Google game system will arrive this fall. That's a pretty quick turn-around for something we’ve never heard about.This does reveal a bit about what to expect from the console, though.

Obviously this is not a traditional game system – al la PS3 or Xbox 360. Putting something like that together would take much more time to hype up, create exclusive partners, etc.

Instead, the idea is probably to create a box that essentially functions like a Google TV device, albeit with some optimizations that make it more geared towards gaming such as custom controls and Google Play Games service support. In many ways it will probably look a lot like the Ouya or MadCatz game console. It will be compact, physical media-free and will rely on the power of Android.

If the Google Game Console isn’t much different from the competition, why bother? For one thing, because Google can do things that Ouya and MadCatz can't do – such as sell the console at cost.

Imagine a Snapdragon 800-powered game console that hits between $49 – $129. Makes me excited just thinking about it.

It is also possible Google could use some of its connections (and/or deep pockets) to draw in bigger gaming studios down the road. While a Google game console would undoubtedly have full access to Google Play and all of its apps, nothing is to say it couldn’t have its own special section of the Play Store for Google game system-optimized exclusives.

Ouya

Ouya and its me-too rivals could be in trouble here

If a Google game system really is in works, Ouya and its rivals could find themselves in very deep trouble.

As already mentioned, Google has the resources to sell their device at a cheaper cost, all while potentially bringing in exclusive titles to their console. Then you have to consider special services.

Any Google-made console would undoubtedly be optimized to play nicely with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime videos and just about every video service that currently supports Android. It would also likely feature strong integration with G+, Google's Music streaming service and more.

Ouya and its competitors do offer some of these multimedia apps and services, but I suspect they won't be able to even begin to compete to the services a Google console would offer.

There's also a little thing called brand recognition. While MadCatz might have some brand recognition as an accessory maker, the Ouya is a start-up that has no role outside of the micro-console market and Nvidia is primarily known among PC gamers. In contrast, Google is a household name.

Can other Android-powered game consoles co-exist with a Google game system? Maybe. After all, there are other Android handsets on the market even though the Nexus 4 delivers impressive hardware and a killer price.

Some folks will want a pure-Android experience, others will want manufacturer customizations and special features. The key to survival for Ouya and its rivals will be find a way to do things differently then Google, plain and simple.

sony-playstation-4

Will Google’s console affect the traditional console market?

Here's the big one: Can a Google game console steal thunder away from traditional game consoles and handhelds? Yes and no.

When it comes to the quality of titles, the graphics and the immersive experiences – there is no way in hell that an ARM-based, low-cost game system is going to truly compete against a Playstation 4 and Xbox One. But they don't have to compete directly to affect the gaming industry.

If Google can give gamers a low-cost device and attract at least a few console quality-like games to the platform, they could truly find massive success among casual gamers, younger gamers and budget gamers across the globe.

Some folks just don't want to spend $400+ on a new console to get their gaming fix. While these types of gamers could certainly get an older game system (like Xbox 360/PS3/Wii) – eventually these systems will drop support and so there is something to be said for a new console that actually has a low entry cost.

Remember that the OG Gameboy wasn’t exactly the most powerful device in the handheld market. Both the Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear easily stomped all over it with superior color graphics.

Why did the Gameboy win the race in the long-term? It had much better battery life, a massive library of reasonably good games and it was dirt-cheap in comparison. A similar thing happened with the Wii: it was cheap and it offered a different way to play games.

Even the Atari 2600 was a massive success for many years because of a massive library and low-cost entry point, not because it was truly the most powerful system on the market (that honor arguably went to Intellivision).

I'm not saying that a Google gaming console will have the same level of success as the Gameboy, Wii or Atari 2600 – my point is that a Google game console doesn't need to be superior to other systems to be a success. And gaming history backs that notion up.

Even if the Google game console ends up as a distant fourth to Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, it could still make enough of an impact to help change the future of gaming as we know it. What do you think, would you like to see Google get involved in the console market? Or should they leave this industry to more traditional players?

    


Vine for Android updated, adds front-facing camera support, a new upload manager, and more

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 09:41 AM PDT

Vine for Android

Only a week after adding search for users and hashtag support, Vine for Android is today getting yet another update that adds some much requested features, such as front-facing camera support.

Additionally, Vine for Android has received a few performance enhancements, making the app as a whole a bit more speedy, especially the camera loading time. There’s also been a new upload manager added for posts that aren’t submitted.

According the change log, Vine for Android now supports more devices, but it doesn’t say which devices specifically. So if you couldn’t get Vine on your device before, it might be worth it to check again. However, Vine can still only be used on devices running Android 4.0 or higher.

There’s been improvements to settings, too, although we didn’t notice much of a difference. You can check out the full change log for yourself:

  • Front-facing camera
  • New upload manager for unsubmitted posts
  • Improvements to settings
  • Improvements to camera loading time and support for more devices
  • Speed improvements overall
  • Bug fixes and UI improvements

Vine for Android launched earlier this month, though, it has a hard battle on its hands, as Facebook’s Instagram recently added video capabilities. Instagram has a much larger userbase than Vine, so it’ll be interesting to see how this battle plays out.

If you haven’t downloaded the update yet, you can hit the link below or download it straight from your Android device.

Get it on Google Play

    


Sceptre unveils its Android-powered Sound Bar 2.1 speaker system

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 07:42 AM PDT

Sceptre Android speakers 1

I love my third party Android spin off products, especially the mini Android dongles for your TV. But if only someone would throw some quality speakers into the mix with that, then you'd really have my attention. And that's exactly what Sceptre has done with its new SB301524W Sound Bar 2.1.

The Sceptre Sound Bar 2.1 is an all-in-one system which turns your traditional HDTV into an Android powered Smart TV, which certainly makes a lot of sense if you're already in the market for some decent living room speakers.

But the real added benefit here is that you can access the Google Play Store, and all of your associated music files, games, movies, etc, and play them directly through these speakers and your TV, without the need for any additional hardware. If, like me, you're tired of plugging an HDMI cable and audio jack into your tablet every time you want to stream something in your living room, then this product seems like an excellent solution.

Sceptre Android speakers 2

Sceptre has included plenty of functionality, and it looks pretty sleek too.

For audio hardware you're looking at two 2-inch 18 Watt active speakers with an additional 3-inch 35 Watt 65Hz – 250 Hz subwoofer to take care of the low end. The system comes with two stereo RCA inputs, one 3.5mm stereo jack, and a Coaxial input for digital audio.

As for the Android part, there's just a single core Cortex A9 clocked at 1 GHz accompanied by a Mali 400 GPU, which is a little bit weak by modern standards, but should still be enough for music and films, which after all is the product's main purpose. The system also comes equipped with 1GB RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, support for 720p and 1080p output resolutions, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which seems to have everything covered.

But a word of caution; the system only comes equipped with 4GB of internal memory, which certainly isn't enough for a decent music collection, let alone a selection of your favourite movies. Fortunately there is a 32GB microSD card slot and USB connectivity which supports an additional 2TB of extra space, so external hard drives or memory cards should be a work around for any memory issues, but that's obviously an added expense.

If you're interested in the SB301524W sound bar, it is currently available for $299.99 at Walmart, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Sears, K-Mart and NewEgg. Hopefully we'll see a few more Android powered audio products in the future.


Sceptre Turns your Big Screen HDTV into a Smart TV with a Sound Bar 2.1 with Android™

Sound Bar 2.1 with built-in subwoofer and Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 enables users to connect to the internet and download apps from Google Play Store

City of Industry, CA – June 27, 2013 – Sceptre, superior manufacturers of world class LED and LCD HDTVs and PC displays, unveils the SB301524W Speaker Sound Bar 2.1 with built-in subwoofer, Android platform and Wi-Fi connection to turn your ordinary HDTV into a smart TV through plug and play technology, enabling users to access movies, music, apps and games.

Sceptre’s newest Sound Bar 2.1 includes Android’s interactive media operating system to create the perfect entertainment atmosphere with the support of Wi-Fi and Android Platform. With the Android OS, users can access the Google Play™ Store to download thousands of songs, games, movies and apps to enhance their TV experience.

The SB301524W Sound Bar 2.1 incorporates a variety of technologies and components to produce room filling surround sound, including a 35W subwoofer with passive radiator, SRS WOW HD™ audio technology and dual front facing speakers. SRS WOW HD, developed by DTS technologies, improves the audio by widening the sound field, raising the vertical sound image and retrieving lost audio information during the mixing process to create a more natural surround sound experience.

Elegantly designed to complement HDTVs 42-inches and above, the SB301524W sound bar features a trendy touch sensor control panel to easily adjust volume, preset modes or sound sources, an auto-dimming LED screen that displays current settings and a remote control compatible with multiple Sceptre HDTVs. It is also the ideal replacement for expensive and bulky surround sound systems, eliminating unsightly wires, expensive adaptors and the need to have a separate subwoofer.

“The Sound Bar 2.1 with built-in subwoofer and Android Platform turns your traditional HDTV into a Smart TV at a fraction of the cost,” said Cathy Chou, Sceptre’s vice president of operations. “Our newest addition to the family of sound bars not only enhances your HDTV experience, but also brings people closer by giving you access to the same applications as a computer, including Skype, Facebook, Instant Messenger and more.”

To enhance the overall experience, Sceptre offers an optional smart remote control that replicates the functionality of a traditional mouse and keyboard. The SB301524W sound bar can be easily wall-mounted using only two screws and is currently available for $299.99 at Walmart, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Sears, K-Mart and NewEgg.

    


“Galaxy Memo” renders surface. Real or not?

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:38 AM PDT

samsung galaxy memo leak 3

It must be a good day for the folks over at Sam Mobile, who just made available a fully functional version of the yet to be announced Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S4. Here's another alleged leak that supposedly landed in their inbox.

The two renders you can see below are supposed to represent a new device from Samsung, dubbed Galaxy Memo. According to Sam Mobile, the renders were tipped along with a set of specifications by an anonymous person. The site warns that this is the first time that respective source sends a tip – in other words, there's no guarantee this isn't a hoax or fan concept.

Samsung Galaxy Memo leak (1) Samsung Galaxy Memo leak (1)

The alleged specifications of this Memo device include a 4.5-inch Full HD LCD display, which would translate to a 489 ppi pixel density, higher even than that of the HTC One, a quad-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz, 2GB of RAM, and an 8MP camera.

Looking at the images, the device looks like a shorter, fatter version of the Galaxy S4, with an S Pen not very convincingly photoshopped on top. Moreover, the specifications are a bit puzzling – why would Samsung shrink the Note range to 4.5-inch? Why would Samsung introduce a new stylus-wielding device with a different name? Why would it offer an S Pen for a relatively small device? That display format? Nobody wants it, it’s dead and buried alongside the LG Optimus Vu.

While this Galaxy Memo might be real, we prefer to err on the side of caution and file this “leak” in the Fakes folder, at least for now. What do you think? Real or not?

    


Huawei wants to make a Google Play Edition Ascend P6

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:20 AM PDT

huawei ascend p6

Google Play Edition handsets are definitely the hop topic right now, and it appears that Huawei is the next company looking to join the ranks of Samsung and HTC in the GPE handset club.

Speaking with Pocket-Lint earlier today, Kevin Ho, president of the handset product division at Huawei, stated that the company is collaborating with Google to produce a new edition of the Ascend P6 which will run stock Android.

We are working with Google to analyse the possibility of bringing out a Huawei Ascend P6 with Google Edition,

Ok, so nothing's set in stone quite yet, but at least we officially know that talks are on-going. Interestingly though, this is directly counter to the company's statements issued when it initially launched the Ascend P6 in London earlier this month. The company's chairman, Richard Yu, insisted that Huawei’s Emotion UI was better was far better than stock Android, and that it offered "hundreds of improvements" over the default Android experience.

So the real question is what is Huawei's motive; a simple u-turn to capitalise on all the coverage that's being given to these Google Play Edition handsets? Perhaps Richard Yu was overselling the benefits of Huawei’s Emotion UI when he said it would be better in touch with a user’s “emotions". Needless to say, the PR on this one looks to be a little bit of a mess.

But Huawei isn't the only company which might be interested in joining the GPE club, both Sony and LG are considered likely candidates for another stock Android device. It will be interesting to see how many other manufacturers will announce Google Edition handsets in the near future.

    


Android 4.3 leaks online, Galaxy S4 test firmware now available for download!

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 05:38 AM PDT

android 4.3 galaxy s4 firmware

A juicy tip landed in the mailbox of the folks at Sam Mobile containing no less than a fully functional Android 4.3 Jelly Bean test firmware for the Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505G).

According to the site, the build works flawlessly on the regular version of the Galaxy S4, which is, after all, identical to the Google Play Edition in terms of hardware. Sam Mobile claims that absolutely everything works as expected, and that the build wasn't tampered with in any way.

Moreover, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean firmware can now be downloaded, meaning that you can quickly turn your Galaxy S4 into a Play Edition phone running the latest version of stock Android without jumping through any hooks.

With the warning that flashing the firmware would void your warranty, and that you shouldn't try to do it if you don't have a modicum of experience in flashing custom ROMs, the firmware is available for download on Sam Mobile, along with installation instructions.

While we caught some glimpses of Android 4.3 running on the Nexus 4 before, this is the first time when a full flashable version leaks. The changes over version 4.2.2 seem to be minimal, and include a redesigned Camera app that is available on the Play Editions of the HTC One and the Galaxy S4. Check out this gallery of screenshots of Android 4.3, courtesy of Sam Mobile.

Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (1) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (12) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (11) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (10) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (9) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (8) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (7) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (6) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (5) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (4) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (3) Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (2)

We expect to see a video walkthrough of the new version of Android Jelly Bean and more details about the changes it includes soon, so stay tuned.

Update: As some commenters pointed out, the lack of user facing changes in this firmware is a bit suspicious. We might be looking at a build that was modified to show version 4.3. On the other hand, it’s possible that all the changes are under the hood. We’ll keep you posted.

    


Microsoft won’t bring its PC and Xbox games to Android after all

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 04:21 AM PDT

Xbox Logo

Color us disappointed. The recent report from Reuters that said Microsoft is interested in bringing some of its PC and Xbox games to mobile platforms was apparently a case of getting lost in translation.

On Monday, a report from Reuters quoting the Japanese Nikkei agency sent waves of excitement throughout the tech world, especially because the beloved Age of Empires strategy franchise was singled out as coming to Android and iOS devices by the end of the year.

As it turns out, an Age of Empires game is indeed coming to mobile devices, but don't expect it to look anything like the seminal strategy title. Instead, the Japanese company KLab licensed the name of the franchise from Microsoft and will publish a game based on it in the near future. Licensing old intellectual property to third party developers is common practice these days, and Microsoft is probably doing just that.

Somewhere between Nikkei and Reuters, the bit about other PC and Xbox titles heading to mobile platforms was added, and the story ballooned soon after that.

Does that mean that we won't ever see a game published by Microsoft on mobile devices? We can't rule out the possibility, with phones and tablets becoming ever more powerful and new technologies like game streaming promising to change how we play video games. It just won't happen this year.

    


Report: Android’s malware problem is getting worse, and only users of the latest version are safe from harm

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 04:05 AM PDT


Earlier this year, we saw a report that said there was a 163% rise in the number of malware-infected Android devices in 2012. As shocking as that figure might be, we have a new report now that says the problem has blown up even further.

According to a recently published report[1] from networking vendor Juniper Networks, the number of mobile threats grew an astonishing 614% from March 2012 to March 2013. This equates to a grand total of 276,259 malicious samples, according to research done by the company’s Mobile Threat Center or MTC.

What exactly constitutes such a large amount of mobile threats? It is said that the majority of these mobile threats — 77% of the total — come in the form of money-siphoning applications that either force users to send SMS messages to so-called premium-rate numbers or somehow manage to perform the sending of SMS messages all on their own.

They go virtually undetected as they are normally bundled with pirated apps and appear as normal applications. Typically, these malicious apps can net their creators an average profit of about $10 per user, according to Juniper Networks.

As it is currently the most popular mobile device platform in the world, it’s easy to see why Android would be targeted with such malicious activities. But perhaps you’re wondering, is there anything that can be done to combat this problem?


Indeed, there is. In Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, a new safety feature was introduced in order to stop wayward SMS messages dead in their tracks. But that in itself is a huge problem: Android 4.2, the latest version of the Google mobile operating system, is only available on a tiny fraction of all Android-powered devices out on the market. In fact, many of today’s newer devices don’t even ship with it. So the relevant safety features, as useful as they might be, becomes pretty much useless.

Even worse, the money-making malware mentioned above represents only one type of mobile threat on Android. Android spyware is also present, accounting for 19% of the total malicious samples collected in the above-mentioned research. These could potentially put a user’s privacy at risk, collecting sensitive data and all kinds of information then relaying them to the spyware’s creator.

Trojan apps have also been discovered to be part of the overall Android ecosystem. Although they form a very small part of the entire body of mobile threats on Android right now, it is possible for them to become more widespread in the future. If the fix really only lies in having the latest version of Android installed on a device, and the issue of fragmentation — not to mention the slow software updates from carriers and OEMs — persists, that’s almost a certainty.

What do you think could be done to finally overcome these kinds of problems? Will it be the end of Android as we know it? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments.

[1] Juniper Networks Whitepaper (Warning: PDF)

    


Don’t Google Play Edition devices complicate Android even more?

Posted: 28 Jun 2013 03:14 AM PDT

HTC One Google Edition

At first, I was very optimistic and pleased at the announcement of the Google Play Editions of the HTC One and Galaxy S4. More hardware choice and a Nexus-esque experience, yes please, I thought. But the more I've thought about this, the more I'm not so sure that the idea has been properly thought through. Ultimately, it could well end-up causing more headaches than anything else.

Firstly, there's already a bit of confusion between the Nexus handsets and Google Editions. These handsets aren't subsidized like the Nexus 4 is, they don't carry the name, so should consumers really expect a pure Google experience from them? Surely these handsets are just going to fragment the Android market even more – various versions of TouchWiz, Sense, and others, then there's Nexus handsets, Google, and Developer editions. It’s enough to make your head explode.

Weirdly though, the line has already started to blur. The Google Play Edition handsets ship with the new Android camera user interface, which hasn’t yet officially appeared on the Nexus 4. So who's receiving the real Nexus experience here? Are these handsets being treated as a testing ground for future Android updates?

stock android camera

Above: the slightly upgraded Android camera app, which you can now download as an APK.

And then what about the Developer Editions of these handsets which already exist? Considering the huge expense in acquiring one of these GPE handsets, it's clearly going to be quite a niche product, with developers and hardcore Android enthusiasts as the only real clientele. Do we really need a Google supported Samsung or HTC handset for the masses?

Not a true Nexus experience

I suppose there's one other very important thing to note about these devices, they are not maintained like Nexus handsets.

The stock versions of Android running on them are built and maintained by Samsung and HTC, meaning that updates aren't controlled by Google in the same way as a Nexus device. So, does this mean that Google will provide the code before releasing the update to Nexus devices for Samsung and HTC to work on, or release it to the OEMs afterward like they have traditionally done? It’s quite likely that this means that Google Play Edition handsets won’t receive updates quite as quickly as many had hoped.

Google Edition Kernels

Galaxy S4 GPE (Left) and the HTC One GPE (Right), note the manufacturer generated kernels. Source: Anandtech

Now, Google has stated that the updates will be timely, but that's far from a guarantee that the stock Galaxy S4 and One will receive same-day updates as other Nexus handsets do. But let’s not jump the gun, there are also some benefits to having manufacturers add the finishing touches, after all they know the hardware inside out. Here’s what Google told DroidLife regarding the updating issue.

we will be working very closely with Samsung and HTC on future software updates for these devices and they will receive software updates shortly after a new version is released.

But this does then beg the question, what's the point in owning one over a Nexus?

So many handsets to update

The situation also does leave me rather concerned about what this means for updates for other handsets. Problems could well arise from a conflict of interest when manufactures have to chose between which handsets to update. Clearly the GPE smartphones are not going to be as popular as the mainstream versions of their handsets, so how willing are manufactures likely to be to divert resources to polishing the updates for these phones, compared with updating the original versions of the handsets?

various versions of TouchWiz, Sense, and others, then there's Nexus handsets, Google, and Developer editions. It's enough to make your head explode.

It's a little bit messy to figure out exactly what handset manufactures are likely to do, and what they can do. But let's take a look at a couple of possible scenarios.

Firstly, there's the possibility for manufacturers to use these handsets as a scapegoat for not updating the non Google Edition smartphones. I can entertain that the "if you want regular Android updates buy a Google Edition device" line could become an excuse, however that obviously wouldn’t sit too well with consumers.

So that's probably too much of an extreme scenario, hopefully smartphone manufacturers won’t risk alienating consumers who stuck with normal devices. Android updates are already notoriously slow, so I'd hate to see this become an even bigger problem. But because company resources are only finite, there has to be a priority between Google Edition handsets and the rest.

Samsung Galaxy S4 versions

So many handset versions, so little time.

The other alternative is that manufactures try to close the gap between updates in order to avoid the appearance of favoritism between different handset editions, whilst trying to keep the majority of their consumers happy. Again, it’s not likley that this will be taken to the extreme, but Google Play Edition updates will be certain to suffer some delay compared with Nexus releases, which will then no-doubt annoy consumers who bought these products hoping for prompt updates.

Of course, the best solution would be that manufacturers update all of their handsets as soon as they possibly can, sorting out the Google Play Editions first and then updating their own proprietary software for the rest of us. But it's impossible to know exactly how promptly these updates will be rolling out, and whether more devices requiring regular support will affect updates for other handsets.

Erring on the side of caution, the best solution if you're looking for a default Android experience is probably to stick with a Nexus device. Leave update politics to the other manufacturers, at least until we see how this will all play out. Do any of you share similar concerns about these handsets, or did we get exactly what we asked for?